An Analysis Of English Fairy Tales From The Perspective Of Systemic-Functional Grammar

Systemic-Functional Grammar has become an influential linguistic theory worldwide. Developed by Halliday, Systemic-Functional Grammar (SFG) has two components: Systemic grammar and Functional grammar, which are two inseparable parts for an integral framework of linguistic theory. Systemic-Functional Grammar has been used widely in discourse analysis, critical discourse analysis and other fields. This shows SFG's great power both in theory and in application. Many scholars have studied various kinds of discourses, including literary and non-literary ones, from the perspective of Systemic-Functional Grammar. Fairy tale is a kind of children's literature which is full of fantasies and loved by all people, especially children.Previous studies on fairy tales are mainly on educational, aesthetical, psychological and literary aspects of these tales. The present thesis is to analyze English fairy tales, using the theoretical model of Systemic-Functional Grammar, trying to find out how the lexico-grammatical elements realize the functions of language in these tales. In the research, there are several questions to answer and there are three objectives altogether. Firstly, what is the frequency of each type of process in English fairy tales in the transitivity system and why? Secondly, how do English fairy tales realize interpersonal function through the use of mood system and why? And thirdly, how do the texts of English fairy tales organize themselves through theme system and why? Fifteen sample texts are selected from one book, Tell Me a Tale, which was published by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in 2002.Through detailed analysis from the perspective of Systemic-Functional Grammar, it is found that these English fairy tales have the following characteristics: material process is the most frequently used process in transitivity system. The context and field of discourse have their influences. Fairy tales are always simple and interesting and the general plots of the tales influence the choices of language. In mood analysis, most clauses are of declarative mood since fairy tales always tell the information of the stories directly to readers. In the analysis of modality, the result is that modalization elements are more than modulation elements. In theme system, it is found that most of the topical themes are pronouns and simple nouns, and only a small part of the themes are multiple themes, clausal themes and marked themes. This means that fairy tales are closer to spoken language than to written language. The context and simple language of fairy tales have their influences in this respect.