Fawcett's Criteria For Identifying Different Classes Of Syntactic Unit

Fawcett (2010: 195-6):

Since our topic in this book is syntax, I shall now re-express the semantic view taken in Section 10.2.1 in terms of concepts that are at the level of form. Then, since 'class of unit' is a key category in the present theory, I shall examine the extent to which the criterion for recognising 'classes' of unit proposed in "Categories" has been supported by other scholars.

In terms of criteria at the level of form, then, the different classes of syntactic unit that are recognised in the description of a language are to be identified by their internal structure, i.e., by the elements of structure of those units. This concept will be exemplified in the classes of unit in English described in Sections 10.2.3 to 10.2.12. For a fuller discussion of the concept of 'element of structure', see Section 10.5.⁶

Blogger Comments:

[1] To be clear, "the semantic view taken in Section 10.2.1" is the mutual determination of class of semantic unit and class of syntactic unit (p193):

… the class of a syntactic unit and of the semantic unit that it realises are mutually determined … each such class exists to express the specific array of meanings that are associated with each one of the major classes of entity in the semantics. … Each of these semantic units corresponds directly to one of the five major classes of syntactic unit that are recognised in the present syntax of English.

[2] To be clear, the validity of a theoretical proposition rests on reasoned argument, not on the extent to which it is supported by other scholars. This is another instance of the logical fallacy known as argumentum ad populum.

[3] To be clear, "the criterion for recognising classes in 'Categories' " is with reference to the structure of the unit above in the compositional rank scale.  Halliday (2002 [1960]: 49, 50):

The class is that grouping of members of a given unit which is defined by operation in the structure of the unit next above. … Class, like structure, is linked to unit: a class is always a class of (members of) a given unit: and the class–structure relation is constant – a class is always defined with reference to the structure of the unit next above, and structure with reference to classes of the unit next below. A class is not a grouping of members of a given unit which are alike in their own structure. In other words, by reference to the rank scale, classes are derived “from above” (or “downwards”) and not “from below” (or “upwards”).

[4] To be clear, as can be seen from the quote immediately above, Fawcett's recognition criteria for classes of unit directly contradict the criteria used in the theory he is developing: Halliday's superseded Scale & Category Grammar. Whether or not this raises theoretical problems will be examined in future posts.