On prepositions and particles: a case for lexical representation in systemic functional linguistics

Abstract

The focus of this paper is on lexical items which are traditionally referred to as prepositions, adverbs and particles, grouped here under the term P-items. It is argued that the relative lack of detail concerning lexical representation within systemic functional linguistics (SFL) theory means that there are some issues related to the status of lexis within the framework that require some development. As pointed out by Tucker [2009. In search of the grammarian’s dream: locating lexis in a systemic functional grammar. In Stefaan Slembrouck, Miriam Taverniers, & Mieke van Herreweghe (eds), From will to well: studies in linguistics offered to Anne-Marie Simon-Vandenbergen, 415–426. Gent: Academia Press, 424]:

if the theoretical principles are not fleshed out by way of description of both the actual grammatical and lexical resource of a given language, it is of little use to the majority of consumers, those who adopt it for (ultimately) the socio-semantic analysis of actual texts.

By examining the treatment of P-items within the SFL framework and by drawing on the rich literature on this topic in cognitive linguistics, this paper aims to offer some proposals for integrating a more comprehensive, cognitively informed approach to lexis in SFL.

Keywords:

• lexical representation
• systemic functional linguistics
• prepositions
• adpositions
• polysemy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. “Item” as a term is preferred to “word” to avoid the problems associated with “word”, especially the prevalence of the orthographic word as the primary reference, see Wray (2014) for an excellent discussion of the problems with “word”.

2. Note while this is true for English, prepositions in Welsh for example do take inflections.

3. The debate concerning the status of prepositions as either content or function words is not reviewed here not because it is not relevant but because space does not permit this exploration.

4. The standard notation for lexeme is full caps and this is used throughout the paper to distinguish a reference to a lexeme from an instance of a lexeme as a lexical item (indicated by italics).

5. I am not suggesting that these lexemes are not related in the lexicon, simply that they have different lexical entries.

6. http://www.staffs.ac.uk/uniservices/infoservices/infozone/gettingstarted/

7. http://www.macobserver.com/columns/firstmac/2006/20060131.shtml

8. SDLP stands for the social democratic and labour party. SketchEngine, ukWaC, #14243638, http://ca.sketchengine.co.uk

9. Perhaps a more convincing argument is the fact that when a Complement intervenes, the P-item can be modified by right, as in she cleaned the mess right up, but it cannot when the Complement does not intervene, e.g. *she cleaned right up the mess.

10. SketchEngine, ukWaC, #35845962, http://ca.sketchengine.co.uk

11. http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f35/husband-brought-in-a-dog-40148/