Nominal Group Grammar: System and Structure

• Published in: Word (Worcester) Vol. 67; no. 3; pp. 248 - 280
• Main Authors: Martin, J.R., Doran, Y.J., Zhang, Dongbing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Routledge 03-07-2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Dependency grammar; nominal groups; structure; system; Systemic functional linguistics; types of structure
• ISSN: 0043-7956; 2373-5112
• DOI: 10.1080/00437956.2021.1957545

In this introductory paper for this series of special issues, we review the development of nominal group description in SFL - focusing on its syntagmatic and paradigmatic modeling, and stepping through a number of the principles that underpin SFL description more broadly. We then explore a number of issues that have arisen in relation to nominal groups as more languages have been described in SFL, such as how to deal with structural markers that have typically been left aside in explicit SFL modeling, and how to reconcile logical and experiential perspectives on the nominal group. As part of this, the paper proposes analyses aimed at extending SFL again - in particular suggesting a clearer division of labor between the word rank and the group rank, and proposing a type of structure called 'subjacency' for non-iterative dependency structures. Our aim is to further promote SFL as an evolving model of language and to encourage researchers to further develop SFL descriptions of languages around the world.