transitivity. as dead as a dodo have you ever seen a quagga or a great auk in a zoo? no? dont be...

TRANSITIVITY

As dead as a dodo As dead as a dodo Have you ever seen a quagga or a great auk in a zoo? No? Don’t be surprised! They are actually extinct animals. Right! But here’s the surprise: did you know that

99 % of all the animals that have lived on earth are extinct? That’s a lot of extinct animals.

Analysing processes & circumstances and finding patterns

As dead as a dodo

[Circumstance: manner: comparison]

Have […] seen

[you] ever a quagga or a great auk

in a zoo?

Process: mental:

perception

Senser Circumstance: location: temporal

Phenomenon Circumstance: location: spatial

Don’t be surprised!

Process: relational: attributive: intensive

[Attribute:]*1 *1 Carrier is not expressed because

clause is imperative, but it is part of the process. The referent of Carrier is the

reader.

No ?

elliptical clause

They are actually extinct animals

Carrier Process: relational: attributive: intensive:

classifying

not experientialAcon

Attribute

Right!

minor clause

But here ’s the surprise:

not experientialconjunction

Circumstance: location: spatial

Process: relational: attributive:

circumstantial

Carrier

did … know you that 99 % of all the animals that have lived on earth are extinct?

Process: mental:

cognition

Senser Meta-phenomenon: idea

(I) … 99 % of all the animals [[that have lived on

earth]]

are extinct.

Hypo-

tactic

Carrier Process: relational: attributive: intensive: descriptive

Attribute

(II) that have lived on earth

Embed-ded

Actor process: material: middle Circumstance: location: spatial

That ’s a lot of extinct animals.

Carrier Process: relational: attributive: intensive: classifying

Attribute

CLAUSES IN THE PREVIOUS CLAUSECLAUSES IN THE PREVIOUS CLAUSE:

Long ago most animals became extinct naturally, because of changes in the weather or because their usual food or habitat disappeared. In recent times, however, most animals have become extinct because of humans. Sometimes people have destroyed a species for its meat, its fur or its feathers. Sometimes, farmers have destroyed a species to protect farm animals or farmland. Sometimes hunters have destroyed a species just for sport.

Analysing processes & circumstances and finding

patternsLong ago most

animals

became extinct naturally

Circumstance: location: temporal


Attribute Circumstance: manner: quality

because of changes in the weather

Circumstance: cause: reason

Or because their usual food or habitat

disappeared.

Not experiential: conjunct.

actor Process: material: middle

In recent times,

however, most anima

ls

have become

extinct because of humans.

Circum-stance:

location: temporal

not experientia

l Acon


Attribute

Cir-cumstance:

cause: reason

Sometimes

people have destroyed

a species

for its meat, its fur or its feathers.

not experiential

; Amod

Actor Process: material: effective

Goal Circumstance: cause: purpose

Sometimes, farmers have destroyed a species

not experiential; Amod


Goal

to protect farm animals or farmland.

Process: material: effective Goal

Sometimes hunters have destroyed

a species

just for sport.

not experiential;

Amod



THE DODO THE DODO

The dodo, which lived in the island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, built its nests on the ground and couldn’t fly. European sailors first arrived on the island in 1507. They killed dodos for their meat. They also brought dogs, cats and rats to Mauritius. These animals destroyed the dodos’ nests, eggs and chicks. Soon there weren’t many dodos left. Some dodos were sent to animal collectors in Europe. The collectors didn’t breed these birds, however. They just put them on show in cages. The dodo became extinct more than 300 years ago, in 1681.

Analysing processes & circumstances and finding

patternsThe dodo,

which…,

built its nests

on the ground


Goal Circumstance: location: spatial

Which lived In the island of Mauritius in the

Indian Ocean

actor Process: material: middle Circumstance: location: spatial

European sailors

first arrived on the island

in 1507.

Actor Circumstance:

temporal: location

Process: material: middle

Circumstance: location:

spatial

Circumstance: location:

temporal

and (the dodo)

couldn’t fly.

Not Experiential: conjunction

(omitted) Actor Process: material: middle

They killed dodos for their meat.



They also brought dogs, cats and

rats

to Mauritius.

Actor not experiential:

Acon

Process: material: effective

Goal Circumstance: location:

spatialThese

animals destroyed the dodos’ nests,

eggs and chicks.

Actor Process: material: effective Goal

Soon there weren’t many dodos left.

not experiential: Acon

Process: existential Existent

Some dodos

were sent to animal collectors

in Europe.

Goal Process: material: effective: giving

type

Beneficiary: recipient


The collectors

didn’t breed these birds, however.


Goal not experiential:

Acon

They just put them on show in cages.

Actor Circumstance: manner: quality


goal Circumstance: location:

spatial

Circum-stance:

location: spatial

The dodo Became extinct More than 300 years ago, in 1681

Carrier Process: relational: attributive: intensive

Attribute Circumstance: location: temporal

THE QUAGGATHE QUAGGA

The quagga lived in S. Africa. It was a kind of zebra. The front half of its body was striped brown and white. The back half of its body was plain brown. Like other zebras, quaggas lived in grasslands. In the 19th c. hunters killed many quaggas for their meat and for their skins. During the same period, farmers took large parts of the quaggas’ grassland habitat and turned them into farmland. Some people tried to domesticate the quagga, but with little success. The last wild quagga was killed by hunters in 1878. The last quagga in the world died in Amsterdam zoo in 1883.


The quagga lived in S. Africa.

actor Process: material: middle Circumstance: location: spatial

it was A kind of zebra

carrier Process: relational: attributive: intensive: classifying

attribute

The front half of its

body

was Striped brown and white

carrier Process: relational: attributive: intensive: descriptive

attribute

The back half of its body

was plain brown


Attribute

Like other zebras, quaggas lived in grasslands.

Circumstance: manner:

comparison

Actor Process: material: middle


In the 19th c.

hunters killed many quaggas

for their meat and for their

skins



Goal Circumstance: cause:

purpose

During the same period,

farmers took large parts of the quaggas’

grassland habitat



Goal

and (farmers)

Turned them Into farmland

Not experiential: conjunction

actor Process: material: effective

goal Circumstance: role: product

Some people

tried to domesticate the quagga,

Actor complex VG; Process: material: effective

Goal

But (They domesticated them)

with little success.


Elliptical Circumstance: manner: quality

The last quagga in the

world

died In Amsterdam

zoo

1883




The last wild quagga

Was killed by hunters In 1878

Goal Process: material: effective/passive

Agent as Circumstanc

e


THE PASSENGER PIGEON THE PASSENGER PIGEON

The passenger pigeon lived in North America. A hundred and fifty years ago there were thousands of millions of passenger pigeons. American Indians killed them for food, but they didn’t hunt young birds or they didn’t kill more than they needed. They treated the passenger pigeon like the buffalo, with respect. White Americans hunted the birds for sport. They sometimes killed hundreds of thousands in a day. The feathers were used to make pillows and the meat was cheaper than chicken. Soon there weren’t many passenger pigeons left. In 1900 a boy shot the last wild bird. In 1914 the last passenger pigeon bird died in Cincinnati Zoo.

The passenger pigeon

lived in North America.




A hundred and fifty years ago

there were thousands of millions of

passenger pigeons.



American Indians

killed them For food,



But they didn’t hunt young birds



goal

or they didn’t kill more than they needed

not experiential; conjunction


goal

They treated the passenger pigeon

like the buffalo

with respect.


Goal Circumstance: manner:

comparison

Circumstance: manner:

quality

White Americans

hunted the birds for sport



They sometimes killed hundreds of

thousands

in a day.

actor not experiential; conjunction


goal Circumstance: location: temporal

The feathers

were used to make pillows

Range Process: material: middle w/range


Goal

and The meat was cheaper than chicken.



attribute

Soon there weren’t many passenger pigeons left.

not experiential; Acon


In 1914 the last passenger

pigeon bird

died in Cincinnati Zoo.




In 1900 a boy shot the last wild bird.



goal

Animals like the dodo, the quagga and the passenger pigeon have disappeared forever. Today other animals are in danger of following them. The Spanish lynx and the black-headed uakari are endangered species because people have destroyed large areas of their natural habitat. Slow-moving Caribbean manatees are endangered because humans have turned the sea in which they live into a leisure area. Speed boats have already killed many of them, and fishing lines have seriously injured others. Shouldn’t we stop these animals from becoming extinct too before it’s too late?

The Spanish lynx The Spanish lynx

The black-headed uakari The black-headed uakari

The Slow-The Slow-moving moving CaribbeaCaribbean n manatee manatee

Animals like the dodo, the quagga and the passenger

pigeon

have disappeared for ever


Circumstance: extent: temporal

Today other animals

are in danger of following

them.


carrier Process: relational: attributive:

circumstantial

Attribute/Cir-cumstance of

location: spatialThe Spanish lynx

and the black-headed uakari

are endangered species

carrier Process: relational: attributive: intensive:

classifying

attribute

because people have destroyed large areas of their natural habitat. …

not experiential; conjunction


goal

Slow-moving Caribbean manatees

are endangered


attribute

because humans have turned the sea in which they

lived

into a leisure area.

not experiential

; conjunction

actors Process: material: effective

goal Circum-stance: role:

product

Speed boats

have […] killed [already] many of them,



goal

and fishing lines

Have [...] injured

others [seriously]

Not experiential

; conjunction


goal Circumstance: manner:

quality

in which they lived



clause embedded clause embedded in the previous in the previous

clauseclause:

before it ‘s too late?


carrier Process: relational: attributive: circumstantial

Attribute

from becoming instinct too

Textual elem.

Process: relational: attributive: intensive

Attribute

Interp. element

Shouldn’t [...] stop

[we] these animal

s

Process: material

actor goal

Commenting on processes in :“As dead as a dodo”

The processes that prevail are in order of decreasing frequency:

material effective attributive intensive classifying/

descriptive/ circumstantial material middle existential material middle w/ range (only one) mental perception (one) mental cognition (one)

The uses the different processes are put to are: material effective: representing actions by human beings that have extended to certain species of animals and have affected them negatively. When those actions are negated, they represent actions that have not been so destructive (as in the section on American Indians) attributive intensive :classifying/ descriptive/ circumstantial: classifying and describing animals that no longer exist so the reader can picture them in his/her mind

The uses the different processes are put to are: material middle: representing actions of animals that do not extend to other entities and affect them (couldn’t fly) or actions that set the context to what’s to be said (arrived) or actions/ happenings that are the result/consequence of effective actions (died) existential : to represent non-existence as consequence of effective actions, i.e. actions affecting animals.mental (perception, cognition): to engage readers’ interest by having him, in combination with questions, reflect upon perceptions and knowledge related to topic to be dealt with

Note that all material effective processes, which are by far the most frequent one, are associated with human beings as Actor participants, sometimes as a generic class, sometimes as a more specific member of the class = white man; Europeans; a boy, sometimes represented indirectly by something that he typically uses (Speedboat, fishing lines). This clearly reflects the author’s view that human beings are to be held as responsible for the extinction of animals and signals his purpose of showing/ demonstrating/providing plenty of conclusive evidence of this.

The Circumstances prevailing are the following:

Circumstances of location: spatial

Circumstances of location: temporal

Circumstances of cause: purposeThe uses they seem to be put to in the text are suggested below:

Circumstances of location: spatial representing the location, mainly of animals unknown to us because now extinct.Circumstances of location: temporal : organizing sections of the text chronologically to represent the history/evolution of the problem.

Circumstances of cause: purpose They are usually associated with effective material processes and represent the purposes behind the human actions that affected animals. Many of these purposes, interestingly enough, are not worthy or such that they can justify the actions, except again in the case of the American Indians.

In conclusion, apart from helping organize the text, circumstances, especially those of cause: purpose, help drive home/ effectively convey the author’s point of random destruction of the animal world by humans

transitivity. as dead as a dodo have you ever seen a quagga or a great auk in a zoo? no? dont be...

Documents

spatial slide

location process

dodo slide

purpose slide

middle slide

experiential amod actorprocess

spatial process

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