Modalization and modulation in commencement addresses by english speakers a systemic functional analysis

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE STUDIES TRƯƠNG THỊ ÁNH MODALIZATION AND MODULATION IN COMMENCEMENT ADDRESSES BY ENGLISH SPEAKERS: A SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS (TÌNH THÁI VÀ BIẾN THÁI HĨA TRONG CÁC BÀI PHÁT BIỂU TẠI LỄ TỐT NGHIỆP CỦA CÁC DIỄN GIẢ NĨI TIẾNG ANH: PHÂN TÍCH THEO QUAN ĐIỂM NGỮ PHÁP CHỨC NĂNG) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Linguistic Code: 60.22.15 Hanoi - 2013 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE STUDIES TRƯƠNG THỊ ÁNH MODALIZATION AND MODULATION IN COMMENCEMENT ADDRESSES BY ENGLISH SPEAKERS: A SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS (TÌNH THÁI VÀ BIẾN THÁI HÓA TRONG CÁC BÀI PHÁT BIỂU TẠI LỄ TỐT NGHIỆP CỦA CÁC DIỄN GIẢ NÓI TIẾNG ANH: PHÂN TÍCH THEO QUAN ĐIỂM NGỮ PHÁP CHỨC NĂNG) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Linguistic Code: 60.22.15 Supervisor: Prof Dr Hoàng Văn Vân Hanoi - 2013 DECLARATION I, Trương Thị Ánh, hereby certify that this thesis is the result of my own research and that the substance of the thesis has not, partly or wholly, been submitted for a degree to any other universities or institutions Signature Trương Thị Ánh i ACKNOWLEGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the people who assisted and always made the best conditions and environment for me to complete this thesis The first person I would like to send my special thanks to is Prof Dr Hoàng Văn Vân, who spent much of his valuable time supervising and guiding my study I am also indebted to my lecturers in both undergraduate and postgraduate faculties at my university for their precious lectures in linguistics which help me to have the basic and necessary knowledge to carry out this study I also owe many thanks to my family members who gave me great encouragement, my friends and my colleagues who were willing to share my heavy workload at my school so that I could invest my time to this thesis ii ABSTRACT This study investigates the realization of modalization and modulation in commencement addresses made by well-known English speakers The analytical framework of the study is based on M A K Halliday‘s Systemic Functional Grammar theory of modality The data of the research is taken from the analysis of five commencement addresses of Steve Jobs (2005), Bill Gates (2007), Barbara Kingsolver (2008), J K Rowling (2008), and Barack Obama (2009) The results show that modalization and modulation are realized in a variety of forms and expressions which can be modal operators, modal adjuncts, passive verb predicators, and adjective predicators Modalization overtakes modulation in terms of frequency Each group of modal operators and modal adjuncts when being used to realize modalization and modulation has its own effectiveness and specialties iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration…………………………………………………………………… .i Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………ii Abstract……………………………………………………………………… iii Table of contents……………………………………………………………………iv List of figures and tables………………………………………………………… vi PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale…………………………………………………………… ….… The significance of the study………………………………………….…… Aims of the study…………………………………………………… Scope of the study………………………………………………………… Methods of the study………………………………………………… Design of the study…………………………………………… …… … PART B: DEVELOPMENT Chapter 1: Theoretical background 1.1 Semantic-oriented approaches……………………………………………….5 1.2 Pragmatic-oriented approaches………………………………………………7 1.3 Criticisms of the semantic-oriented and pragmatic-oriented approaches……7 1.4 Halliday‘s functional approach………………………………………………9 1.4.1 Halliday‘s notion of modality: Modalization and Modulation………… .9 1.4.2 Modalization: notion and realization………………………………… .11 1.4.3 Modulation: notion and realization……………………………………… 14 1.5 Review of previous studies…………………………………………………16 iv Chapter 2: The study 2.1 Research question…………………………………………………………… 18 2.2 Data collection……………………………………………………………… 18 2.3 Analytical framework…………………………………………………………18 2.4 Data analysis and major findings…………………………………………… 19 2.4.1 Modalization……………………………………………………………… 19 2.4.1.1 Modal adjuncts…………………………………………………………….20 2.4.1.2 Modal operators……………………………………………………… .21 2.4.2 Modulation……………………………………………………………… 22 2.5 Discussion………………………………………………………………… 24 2.5.1 Modalization and Modulation………… ………………………………….24 2.5.2 Modal adjuncts – realization and meanings……………………………… 25 2.5.3 Modal operators of Modalization – realization and meanings………… 32 2.5.4 Modulation…………………………………………………………….… 33 PART C: CONCLUSION Summary and major findings………………………………………………36 Implications………………………………………………………… …… 38 Suggestions for further studies…………………………………………….40 REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………41 APPENDIX 1: Raw data……………………………………………………………I APPENDIX 2: Analyzed data…………………………………… XXX v LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1: Speech functions and responses Figure 2: Three values of modality Figure 3: Modalization Figure 4: Modal operators Figure 5: Modal adjuncts Figure 6: Modulation Table 1: Modalization in five speeches Table 2: Modal adjuncts in five commencement addresses Table 3: Modal operators in five commencement addresses Table 4: Modulation in five commencement addresses Table 5: Modalization and Modulation vi Modality: Modulation – Modal operator – High 155 howcould you not? Modality: Modalization – Modal operator – Low 156 And I hope you will come back here to Harvard 30 years from now and reflect on what you have done with your talent and your energy Modality: Modalization – Modal operator – Median Modalization – Modal adjunct – Time 157 I hope you will judge yourselves not on your professional accomplishments alone, Modality: Modalization – Modal operator – Median 158 159 160 161 162 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 XXXIX Barbar What can I say to people who k Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc There was a time when I surely Modality: Modalization – Mo But that great pedagogical swill Modality: Modalization – Moda I can't believe how much I don Modality: Modalization – Mo I can discern a kind of gaseous gradually absorbed better judgm Modality: Modalization – Mo wisdom is what people will star Modality: Modalization – Mo what they really mean is: it was Modality: Modalization – Mo Honestly, it is harrowing for m Modality: Modalization – Mo The best I can think to tell them speed limits Modality: Modalization – Mo This will improve your odds of Modality: Modalization – Mo If I stopped there, you might Modality: Modalization – Mo so I'll proceed Modality: Modalization – Mo The alleged outfitwillnot be des Modality: Modalization – Mo whatever you're imagining will Modality: Modalization – Mo Now, I believe parents should u 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal operato How could it be otherwise? Modality: Modalization – Mo itcan't be important Modality: Modalization – Mo You may also hear this when yo Modality: Modalization – Mo Some workplaces actually quan family or volunteerism Modality: Modalization – Mo Now, the rule of "Success" has money Modality: Modalization – Mo But we are not really supposed Modality: Modalization – Mo A house would the customary t Modality: Modalization – Mo Ideally it should be large, with than four people Modality: Modalization – Mo If two friends come over during have to leave Modality: Modulation – Moda The bathroom-to-resident ratio Modality: Modalization – Mo I'm just observing, Modality: Modalization – Mo youcan observe a lot just by wa Modality: Modalization – Mo it will be a large, empty-ish offi Modality: Modalization – Mo you don't have to share Modality: Modulation – Moda youcan get it delivered Modality: Modalization – Mo youmayneverhave to come fac Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc Modulation – Mod And so we find ourselves in the and Efficiency Modality: Modalization – Mo Even the architecture of our pla efficient productivity Modality: Modalization – Mo 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 Congress said, we need to think Modality: Modulation – Moda westill need to think about it Modality: Modalization– Mod Now we can watch as glaciers d the oceans reverse their ancient Modality: Modalization– Mod Modalization – Modal operato How could our weather turn mu diseases like denge fever onto o Modality: Modalization – Mo It's an emergency on a scale we Modality: Modalization – Mo We can't slow down our produc Modality: Modalization – Mo Can't we just go home and put Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc The world will save itself Modality: Modalization – Mo Now we can either shift away f Modality: Modalization – Mo the climate scientists are now sa point Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc We won't get time to use it all Modality: Modalization – Mo we'll have to reduce our carbon Modality: Modulation – Moda We're still stuck on a strategy o Modality: Modalization – Mo we'll keep the cars but run them Modality: Modalization – Mo They always manage to have th Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc How can we get from here to th Modality: Modalization – Mo That will be central question of of carbon-fuel dependency, in th Modality: Modalization – Mo You'll make rules that were pre what we can use and possess Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal operato 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 You will radically reconsider th our habitat Modality: Modalization – Mo In the words of my esteemed co Emancipation Proclamation wil for life itself Modality: Modalization – Mo Nations have already joined to Modality: Modalization – Mo But our government is reluctan our economy Modality: Modulation – An ad Modalization – Modal operato We can't grant humanity to all Modality: Modalization – Mo itwould hurt our cotton plantati Modality: Modalization – Mo You have to find another way Modality: Modulation – Moda You will be told to buy into bu Modality: Modulation – Moda A lot of people, in fact, are reth Modality: Modalization – Mo Could I get it closer to home? Modality: Modalization – Mo Previous generations rarely ask Modality: Modalization – Mo Some European countries alrea consumer goods and adding it t Modality: Modalization – Mo We're even warming up to the i Modality: Modalization – Mo that the wealthy nations will Modulation – Modal operator It will grind some gears in the m Modality: Modalization – Mo But we can retool Modality: Modalization – Mo We can also rethink the big, lon Modality: Modalization – Mo You've probably spent very litt with a bathroom-to-resident rati Modality: Modalization – Mo Maybe more like 1:200 Modality: Modalization – Mo X 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 you didn't have to ask about th Modality: Modulation – Moda youhad to step over them to ge Modality: Modulation – Moda You're told that's all about to ch Modality: Modalization – Mo Even when there was no money Modality: Modalization – Mo The scholars who study social w Modality: Modalization – Mo you might guess, Modality: Modalization – Mo You can take that to the bank Modality: Modalization – Mo I'm not sure Modality: Modalization – Mo what they'll with it down the Modality: Modalization – Mo but you could try Modality: Modalization – Mo You could walk out of here wit Modality: Modalization – Mo how your life may be Modality: Modalization – Mo This could be your key to a new Modality: Modalization – Mo You could invent a new kind of Modality: Modalization – Mo you could say: Life Modality: Modalization – Mo You'll see things collapse in you The new green things that sprou Modality: Modalization – Mo Those will be yours Modality: Modalization – Mo We already did Modality: Modalization – Mo The hardest part will be to conv on Modality: Modalization – Mo Hope is the only reason you wo go down with it Modality: Modalization – Mo You have to love that so earnes Modality: Modulation – Moda X 248 You may be asked to stand behind the barn Modality: Modalization – Modal operator - Low 249 You may feel you're not up to the task Modality: Modalization – Modal operator - Low 250 You can be as earnest and ridiculous Modality: Modalization – Modal operator - Low 251 you need to be, Modality: Modulation – Modal operator - High 252 That could be you Modality: Modalization – Modal operator - Low 253 you might as well know, Modality: Modalization – Modal operator - Low 254 sometimesyou have to stand Modality: Modulation – Modal operator – High 255 You might have to pop the clutch and run Modality: Modalization – Modal operator - Low 256 Definitely you don't want to go directly to jail Modality: Modalization – Modal adjunct - Obligation 257 butstill, here you go, passing time, passing strange Modality: Modalization – Modal adjunct - Time 258 youwill have to pass it off Modality: Modalization – Modal operator - Median 259 you'llstill want to take the express Modality: Modalization – Modal operator - Median 260 You might still have just enough time Modality: Modalization – Modal operator – Low Modalization – Modal adjunct - Time J K Rowling, 2008 261 The first thing I would like to say is ‗thank you.‘ Modality: Modulation – Modal operator – Median 262 Now all I have to is take deep breaths, Modality: Modulation – Modal operator – High 263 I can’t remember a single word she said Modality: Modalization – Modal operator – High 264 I might inadvertently influence you to abandon promising careers in business Modality: Modalization – Modal operator – Low 265 Actually, I have wracked my mind and heart for what I ought to say to you today Modality: Modalization – Modal adjunct – Intensity XLIV 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 Modulation – Moda These may seem quixotic or pa Modality: Modalization – Mo my overactive imagination wa never pay a mortgage, or secure Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc I know that the irony strikes wi Modality: Modalization – Mo I would take a vocational degre Modality: Modalization – Mo Hardly had my parents‘ car rou ditched Modality: Modalization – Mo theymight well have found out Modality: Modalization – Mo I think they would have been h mythology when it came to secu Modality: Modalization – Mo I would like to make it clear Modality: Modalization – Mo I cannotcriticise my parents Modality: Modalization – Mo I would never experience pove Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc 276 Poverty entails fear, and stress, Modality: Modalization – Mo 277 you have never known hardship Modality: Modalization – Mo 278 Talent and intelligence never ye the Fates Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc You might be driven by a fear o success Modality: Modalization – Mo Indeed, your conception of fail person‘s idea of success, Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal operato 279 280 X 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 XLVI so high have you already flown Modality: Modalization – Mo we all have to decide for oursel Modality: Modulation – Moda the world is quite eager to give Modality: Modalization – Mo Had I really succeeded at anyth Modality: Modalization – Mo I might never have found the d believed I truly belonged Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc Modalization – Modal adjunc I was still alive, and I still had a Modality: Modalization – Mo You might never fail on the sca Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc you might as well not have live Modality: Modalization – Mo I had never attained by passing Modality: Modalization – Mo I could have learned no other w Modality: Modalization – Mo I had friends whose value was t Modality: Modalization – Mo you are, ever after, secure in yo Modality: Modalization – Mo You will nevertruly know your Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc Modalization – Modal adjunc it has been worth more than any Modality: Modalization – Mo I would tell my 21-year-old sel that life is not a check-list of ac Modality: Modalization – Mo you will meet many people of m Modality: Modalization – Mo the humility to know that will e 298 299 300 301 301 Modality: Modalization – Mo Now you might think that I cho Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal operato I personallywill defend the val Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal operato we have never shared Modality: Modalization – Mo I shall never forget the African Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc I shall remember walking along Modality: Modalization – Mo 302 303 I have never heard since Modality: Modalization – Mo She had just had to give him th outspokenness against his coun 304 Modality: Modulation – Mode I saw more evidence about the e humans 305 Modality: Modalization – Mo I had ever known before Modality: Modalization – Mo 306 307 308 309 310 Amnesty mobilises thousands o imprisoned for their beliefs to a Modality: Modalization – Mo Ordinary people, whose person together in huge numbers to sav meet Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc They can think themselves into Modality: Modalization – Mo Ofcourse, this is a power, like m neutral Modality: Modalization – Mo One might use such an ability t understand or sympathise X 311 312 Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc They choose to remain comfo experience, never troubling to w other than they are Modality: Modalization – Mo They can refuse to hear scream Modality: Modalization – Mo 313 they can close their minds and them personally Modality: Modalization – Mo 314 theycan refuse to know Modality: Modalization – Mo 315 I might be tempted to envy peo Modality: Modalization – Mo 316 I could not then define, was thi Modality: Modalization – Mo 317 What we achieve inwardly will Modality: Modalization – Mo 318 But how much more are you, H other people‘s lives? Modality: Modalization – Mo Even your nationality sets you Modality: Modalization – Mo it will not only be your proud fa Modality: Modalization – Mo I am nearly finished Modality: Modalization – Mo 319 320 321 322 I have one last hope for you, wh Modality: Modalization – Mo 323 we were bound by enormous af that couldnever come again, Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc we held certain photographic valuable if any of us ran for Pri Modality: Modalization – Mo 324 X 325 I hope that even if you remember not a single word of mine, Modality: Modalization – Modal adjunct – Intensity 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 Bara a scholarship program that will students from every background Modality: Modalization – Mo this program will serve as a mo Modality: Modalization – Mo I'd just like to clear the air abou talking about a few weeks back Modality: Modalization – Mo I have to tell you, Modality: Modulation – Moda I really thought this was much learned an important lesson Modality: Modalization – Mo I learned never again to pick an NCAA bracket Modality: Modalization – Mo It won't happen again Modality: Modalization – Mo President Crow and the Board o audited by the IRS Modality: Modalization – Mo Now, in all seriousness, I come haven't yet achieved enough in Modality: Modalization – Mo She has a long list of things tha get home Modality: Modalization – Mo I come to affirm that one's title, States, says very little about how Modality: Modalization – Mo no matter how much you've don always more to do, always mor Modality: Modalization – Mo you too cannot rest on your lau Modality: Modalization – Mo Not even some of those remark earlier not even that young la Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc X 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 You can't rest Modality: Modalization – Mo Your own body of work is also Modality: Modalization – Mo Now, some graduating classes h times Modality: Modalization – Mo It should be clear to you by now Modality: Modalization – Mo you're still looking for a job Modality: Modalization – Mo Maybe you've got student loans Modality: Modalization – Mo no, you definitely have student Modality: Modalization – Mo and you're wondering how you' Modality: Modalization – Mo Maybe you've got a family to r Modality: Modalization – Mo and you're wondering how you' opportunities Modality: Modalization – Mo you'vehad to get an education a Modality: Modulation – Moda Now, in the face of these challe formulas for success that have b Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal operato that's how you will measure suc Modality: Modalization – Mo Now, you can take that road Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal operato itmay work for some Modality: Modalization – Mo let me suggest that such an appr Modality: Modalization – Mo thatin fact, the elevation of app character, of short-term gain ov your generation needs to help e Modality: Modalization – Mo 357 Now, ASU, I want to highlight Modality: Modalization – Mo 358 it distracts you from what's t 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 LI compromise your values and yo Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal operato that other stuff, the trappings of mission, Modality: Modalization – Mo itcan't be the central thing Modality: Modalization – Mo But the second problem with th focus on the outward markers o Modality: Modalization – Mo It can make you lazy Modality: Modalization – Mo We too often let the external, th we're doing well, Modality: Modalization – Mo none of us can afford to be com Modality: Modalization – Mo Professors might earn the distin Modality: Modalization – Mo they'll keep putting in the long Modality: Modalization – Mo It can happen to Presidents Modality: Modalization – Mo their legacy could not be more Modality: Modalization – Mo We've become accustomed to th the qualities that got us there -discipline and valor and the cod uniform Modality: Modalization – Mo the rest of the world has grown motion to build and to discover now, Modality: Modalization – Mo it'snow abundantly clear that w different Modality: Modalization – Mo you'llneed to continuously adap Modality: Modulation – Moda You'll end up having more than course of your life; to keep degrees; Modality: Modulation – Moda Modalization – Modal adjunc and you'll have to keep on takin 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 LII Modality: Modulation – Moda we'llneed a fundamental change Modality: Modulation – Moda I'm not just referring to the date Modality: Modalization – Mo It's what led two guys in a garag a company that would change t Modality: Modalization – Mo That's the great American story their passions Modality: Modalization – Mo socan you ASU, so can you Cla Modality: Modalization – Mo Teach in a high-need school wh Modality: Modalization – Mo give a chance to kids who can't maybe in their neighborhood, m afford to give up on Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc Modalization – Modal adjunc developing new sources of clea preserve our planet Modality: Modalization – Mo you can also make your mark in Modality: Modalization – Mo That's what so many of you hav ASU Modality: Modalization – Mo As you think about life after gra after the partying is done that sh Modality: Modalization – Mo you may look in the mirror toni Modality: Modalization – Mo and you may see somebody wh lives Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc what you may see, Modality: Modalization – Mo a troubled child might look at y Modality: Modalization – Mo A homebound senior citizen mi Modality: Modalization – Mo The folks at your local homeles 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 that's not just how you'll ensure Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal operato 400 It's how you'll make a differenc Modality: Modalization – Mo I talked about the focus on outw us astray Modality: Modalization – Mo wenever knew we had to find t Modality: Modalization – Mo Modulation – Mod 401 402 403 don'tever shy away from that en Modality: Modalization – Mo 404 I can promise that Modality: Modalization – Mo youwill be the better for that co love Modality: Modalization – Mo 405 LIII Modality: Modalization – Mo theyjust know that you're some difference in their lives Modality: Modalization – Mo the one thing I know about a bo Modality: Modalization – Mo You may have setbacks, Modality: Modalization – Mo and you may have failures, Modality: Modalization – Mo you're not even getting started, Modality: Modalization – Mo if you ever forget that, just look Modality: Modalization – Mo Modalization – Modal adjunc Your body of work is never don Modality: Modalization – Mo ... Bill Gates Barbara Kingsolver J K Rowling Barack Obama Total Table 5: Modalization and Modulation 23 Table shows how frequently modalization and modulation are realized in the speeches As can be... The framework of the analysis can be summarized as follows: MODALITY MODALIZATION Modal adjunct Ex: certainly (Modal Probability) 17 2.4 Data analysis and major findings 2.4.1 Modalization After...VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE STUDIES TRƯƠNG THỊ ÁNH MODALIZATION AND MODULATION IN COMMENCEMENT ADDRESSES