How the Grammar of English Represents the World (Transitivity)
MA: GS, MPO § 7 Abs. 2.2.3, PRSL; LA: GS, P, S 1, S 2, LPO (neu) § 1 Abs. 2 d) (ECTS: 5)
S 2 SWS Di von 10:15 - 11:45 GW2 B2740

In this course participants will be given a thorough grounding in a particular area of the functional grammar of English: transitivity. Transitivity is the part of grammar that encodes the speaker or writer's view of reality--literally the 'who did what' part of grammar. It is the major component of the IDEATIONAL part of the linguistic system. We will explore a wide range of English texts in order to practice recognising the basic types of transitivity patterns in English. The main emphasis will be on doing, so that all success-ful course participants will become proficient in analysing texts according to their transitivity.

We will also address the important question of the meaning of transitivity choices. Just because a writer represents some event as an action does not mean that it was an action ('the temperature fell'), nor if a writer represents some event as a kind of mental perception does it mean that there is some mental perception involved ('the third day saw them at the summit'): the transitivity system is much more flexible. Crucially, these choices are rarely unique, one-off, isolated choices but instead go together to help make a text work as a text. Particular meanings are made prominent, others are placed in the background.

Recognising transitivity patterns in texts is the first important step to being able to decode these hidden meanings. Once they have been made visible, then texts become clearer in their ideological and other orientations and it is easier to start explaining why some choices might be 'better' or 'worse' than others. Participation in the course will require regular attendance in order to participate in groupwork in which analysis and discussion of many texts take place. Course assessment will be by examination.