Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics
In the broader sense: theoretical approach to the description and explanation of linguistic phenomena based on their various functions. The following functions are generally investigated: topic vs comment, theme vs rheme, definite-ness or animacy (animate vs inanimate) of a noun phrase, the semantic roles (
thematic relations) or syntactic functions of the expressions in question. Semantic roles are the central means of description in case grammar. Lexical Functional Grammar and relational grammar are based on syntactic functions.
The basic assumption of functional grammar is that linguistic phenomena cannot be explained without examining their function. Thus functional grammar offers an alternative to (post-)structuralist attempts at describing linguistic phenomena formally (i.e. assuming the autonomy of syntax). These differing assumptions can be seen clearly in their descriptions of verbal agreement. In a non-functional approach this phenomenon is generally described at the level of form by means of morphosyntactic case. Thus the finite verb agrees with the nominative complement of the predicate. This description fits well for English. In a functional approach the influence of semantic roles, animacy, and/or definiteness of the noun phrase on verbal agreement is examined. This approach works better in some cases, e.g. in object-verb agreement in Swahili (see Givón 1984). In this language there is subjectverb agreement as well as object-verb agreement depending on whether the object is a human being or is definite. Functional descriptions are preferred in the empirically oriented research on universals, since the formal (i.e. morphological and topological) means of marking syntactic function vary across languages, while their functions are universal.
References
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