轉(zhuǎn)換生成語法和系統(tǒng)功能語法的比較研究

摘要：以喬姆斯基為代表的轉(zhuǎn)換生成語法和以韓禮德為代表的系統(tǒng)功能語法是當(dāng)今語言學(xué)界很有影響力的兩大學(xué)派，它們代表了語言學(xué)上兩種不同的發(fā)展趨勢。本文對比分析了這兩個(gè)學(xué)派的理論，其中側(cè)重研究的是這兩者之間的區(qū)別。本文研究了兩者在理論基礎(chǔ)、語言觀、語言研究的目標(biāo)、方法、特色等方面的差異，并進(jìn)一步探討了在它們影響下的不同的英語教學(xué)觀。我們可以得出這兩個(gè)理論都有自身的優(yōu)點(diǎn)和不足的結(jié)論。本文期待著兩大流派能互相補(bǔ)充，從而推動語言學(xué)的進(jìn)一步發(fā)展。

關(guān)鍵詞：轉(zhuǎn)換生成語法；系統(tǒng)功能語法；對比分析；語言本質(zhì)觀；研究目標(biāo)

[中圖分類號]：H31[文獻(xiàn)標(biāo)識碼]：A

[文章編號]：1002-2139(2012)-09-0150-02

1、 Introduction

In the late 1950s， Chomsky established TG Grammar， “during a period of time， especially from 1960s to the early 1980s， TG occupied a dominant position either in power or in influence” (Liu Runqing， 2002). Chomsky tries to explain rather than describe language. TG Grammar has been regarded as a revolution in linguistics.

Halliday’s Systematic-Functional Grammar is a sociologically oriented functional linguistic approach， which is developed from Firth’s theory. It has great influence on disciplines related to language such as discourse analysis， language teaching and so on. Systematic-Functional Grammar includes two parts: Systematic Grammar and Functional Grammar.

2、Differences between TG Grammar and Systematic-Functional Grammar

TG Grammar mainly attempts to answer the following three questions (a) what constitutes knowledge of language (b) how is such knowledge acquired (c) how is such knowledge put into use. However， Systematic-Functional Grammar mainly tries to answer (a) what are the social functions of language (b) how are these functions reflected in the linguistic system.

2.1、Theoretical Basis

When it comes to theoretical basis， as the famous scholar Miao Xingwei points out “Systematic-Functional Grammar is influenced by Plato while TG Grammar has a close relation with Aristotle in the philosophical background.”(Miao Xingwei， 1998) The Generative Grammarians are Analogists， trying to develop a universal theory of human language. Transformational-Generative Grammar is influenced greatly by Humbolt.As for the former theory， it comes from mathematics logic. It should be pointed out that his teacher Harris has great influence on the latter the Generative Grammar.

However， Systematic-Functionalists tend to be Analogists. They would look for differences and tries to explain differences between them within their theories.In terms of theoretical background， Halliday follows and develops the theory of Firth.

2.2、Views on the nature of language

The main difference between TG Grammar and Systematic-Functional Grammar lies in their different views on the nature of language. Chomsky defined language as a set of rules or principles. There are two major points in Chomsky’s model of generative grammar. First， he insists that there was an innate language acquisition device (LAD) and that it was capable of receiving linguistic input and deriving universal grammatical rules. Second， he puts forward that each sentence had a surface structure and a deep structure. The central concept of his theory is Universal Grammar， which tries to reveal the cognitive system of human beings and the essence nature of language. Chomsky has declared his view of linguistics as a branch of cognitive psychology (R.H. Robins， 2001). TG linguists relate language and human’s psychological activities. And they insist that language is a psychological phenomenon.

On the contrary， Halliday views language as a semiotic system， consisting of a semantic system， a lexico-grammatical system and a phonological system (Hu Zhuanglin， 2001). The semantic system is realized by the lexico-grammatical system. Instead， the lexico-grammatical system is realized by the phonological system. As Halliday has pointed out that Systematic-Functional Grammar is a kind of linguistics that studies inter-organism relationship. By contrast， Halliday considered TG as a linguistics that studies intra-organism relationship.

To summarize， Chomsky attaches great importance to language universals and believes language is a psychological phenomenon. By contrast， Halliday emphasizes the sociological aspects of language and insists that language is a tool for communication.

2.3、Study Objects

Chomsky believes that the aim of linguistics is to produce a generative grammar which captures the tacit knowledge of the native speaker of his language (Miao Xingwei， 1998). It concerns with learning theory and language universals. “TG linguists are interested in any data that can reveal the native speaker’s tacit knowledge. They seldom use what native speakers actually say. They rely on their own intuition”. (Hu Zhuanglin， 2001). Chomsky insists that linguists should give scientific explanation to children’s language acquisition. And Chomsky takes the ideal speaker’s linguistic competence as the object of study.

In opposition to Chomsky， Halliday’s Systematic-functional Grammar is based on two facts. One is that language users are actually making choices in a system of systems and trying to realize different semantic functions in social interaction. And another is that language is inseparable from social activities of man. Thus， Halliday takes actual use of language as the object of study， which is quite different from Chomsky’s taking the ideal speaker’s linguistic competence as the object .

Besides， Chomsky was concerned with a grammar of rules. Moreover， he also emphasizes the different levels of adequacy， descriptive and explanatory.As the scholar Tian Xuejun points out TG is not limited to particular languages but to reveal the unity of particular grammars and universal grammars (Tian Xuejun， 2004).By contrast， Halliday puts forward “can do” and “does” during his study. They think that the production and understanding of meaning is closely related to context. Thus， it is essential for linguists to seek the relationship between context and semantic expression.

2.4、Study approaches

TG linguists and Systematic-Functional Grammar linguists adopt different approaches during their study.

Firstly， TG linguists concentrate on the study of language itself. In other words， the linguists are studying the relationship between surface structure and deep structure of a language， and the generative and transformational rules of sentences (Tian Xuejun， 2004). On the contrary， Systematic-Functional Grammar linguists are concerned with the study of meaning and function. In their mind， language meaning exists in the process of its actual use. They would take concrete contexts into consideration. Thus， Halliday adopts Malinowski and Firth’s theory of context.

Secondly， TG Grammar linguists tend to pay their attention to study sentences and focus on grammatical sentences during their research. In opposition to TG linguists， linguists of Systematic-Functional Grammar take text as their study object. Thirdly， TG linguists are interested in the questions that why infinite sentences could be made from finite forms. On the contrary， Halliday emphasizes on the actually used language.

Last but not least， Chomsky adopts mathematical and logical analysis approach to describe the language structure and transformation. By contrast， Halliday adopts function analysis as the approach to analyze text and language function. In a word， he adopts sociologically oriented functional linguistic approach， which is quite different from Chomsky’s.

2.5、Study features

According to Chomsky， the prominent feature of TG Grammar is the abstract rules. In opposition to TG Grammar， Systematic-Functional Grammar features in language function and its structure.

Another feature is that Chomsky follows rationalism in philosophy and mentalism in psychology.

On the contrary， Halliday’s Systematic-Functional Grammar features in the concentration on the relationship between language function and language structure. Moreover， Halliday summarizes three major functions reflected in language system. They are ideational function， interpersonal function and textual function respectively.

3、Similarities of TG Grammar and Systematic-Functional Grammar

It seems that these two theories completely contradict with each other. However， Halliday affirms the achievements of Chomsky and does not deny all of Chomsky’s theory. They both pay attention to the internal and external aspects of language during their study.

Besides， both TG Grammar and Systematic-Functional Grammar follow both belong to modern linguistics. Moreover， they both distinct langue from parole.Other similarity between them is that they are both descriptive.

4、Their Implications in Foreign Language Teaching

There are several aspects of Chomsky’s theory that contribute to language teaching. Firstly， Chomsky presents grammar as a system of sentences. Thus， we should closely relate sentences patterns with the same deep structure. The teacher should instruct students to interpret ambiguous sentences by the method of learning to recognize the deep structure from which they are derived. Secondly， we should practice sentences that look alike on the surface but are derived from kernel sentences.

In addition， transformational rules can help the teacher in teaching sentence construction which is complex. TG Grammar provides a way for stylistic analysis in literature teaching.

On the contrary， Systematic-Functional Grammar linguist Halliday emphasizes the social nature of language. Besides， he studies language with his concern on the functional aspects. It provides useful means to view language as a meaning potential. Function plays a vital role in communicative approaches to language teaching. Thus， it leads to the creation of functional-notional syllabus.

5、Conclusion

TG Grammar and Systematic-Functional Grammar differs from each other in their theoretical basis， views on the nature of language， study objects， study approaches and study features. Besides， they also have different influence on language teaching. It should be pointed out that they have some similarities in certain aspects. Both TG Grammar and Systematic-Functional Grammar have its strength and weakness. It is scientific for us to interact them with each other complementarily. Finally， it is expected that different aspects and views will be valued in the linguistic study. Only in this way can we promote the greater progress of the development of linguistics.

References：

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