'Variation In Depth Of Exponence' Viewed Through The Lens Of SFL Theory

Fawcett (2010: 257-8):

Here we shall consider just the four examples where the quantifying expression is a cardinal number, i.e., sixty books, two hundred books, over sixty books and over two hundred books. Please look at the analyses of the first three examples in Figure 20.

In Example (a) the quantifying determiner (qd) is shown as directly expounded by the item sixty. But Examples (b) and (c), illustrate the fact that there are two frequent ways in which a quantifying determiner may be filled by a quantifying expression which itself has the internal structure of a group. Expressions of 'quantity' are frequently expressed through a nominal group, as in (b) above and in examples such as a very large number and a huge heap. Example (c) above illustrates the fact that the unit that fills a quantifying determiner is also frequently a quantity group, where the two elements are an adjustor and an amount. Moreover, the two constructions exemplified in (b) and (c) can be combined, as in over two hundred books, where the item over 'adjusts' the 'amount' of two hundred — so adding another layer of structure.¹⁷

¹⁷ Indeed, an adjustor can itself contain an embedded quantity group, such that the 'amount of adjustment' that it expresses is in turn adjusted, as in well over two hundred books, a trifle over two hundred books, etc.

 

Blogger Comments:

[1] To be clear, in SFL Theory, Fawcett's quantifying determiner is termed a Numerative, and in (a) it is realised by the word sixty.

[2] To be clear, in SFL Theory, Fawcett's analysed example (b) the Numerative is realised by a word complex, not by a nominal group:

in contrast to the two unanalysed examples in which the Numerative is realised by an embedded nominal group:

[3] To be clear, in SFL Theory, the quantity group that expounds a quantifying determiner in (c) is a word complex that realises a Numerative:

Fawcett's adjustor and amount of his quantity group correspond to the Modifier (β) and Head (α) of the word complex realising the Numerative.

[4] To be clear, in SFL Theory, this added layer actually involves submodification of the Head of the word complex realising the Numerative:

[5] To be clear, in SFL Theory, these two unanalysed examples have different function structures. While both involve the submodification of the Modifier and Head of the word complex realising the Numerative, only the second involves an embedded nominal group in the structure: