dative shift. Transformational term used to describe the relationship between pairs such as she gave her friend a cook book for his birthday ~ she gave a cook book to her friend for Christmas; cf. culmination.

de-automatization, de-automatization. [theoretical] Prague School term, which has been taken over in systemic theory to refer to the situation where the grammar realizes higher-level meanings or themes over and above the semantic categories it normally realizes automatically (see Halliday, 1982).

Deictic. [descriptive: lexicogrammar x textual x structural x group rank: nominal] [French: D驣tique] Function in the structure of the nominal group, inserted as a realization of choices in DETERMINATION and realized by a determiner (or a rankshifted genitival nominal group). For instance: the wages of sin.


The term deictic is also used in non-systemic work but not to refer to a particular function but in the general sense related to deixis. => IFG p. 160-2. => LexCart Section 7.3.5.1.

DEICTICITY. [descriptive: lexicogrammar x interpersonal x systemic x clause rank]The name of the choice between 'modal' and 'temporal' in indicative clauses: the question is how the clause is made finite, i.e. related to the here & now, through the Finite element -- through time (past / present / future in relation to 'now') or through modality (possible, probable, etc. in relation to 'now'). For instance, he's cutting the lawn is temporal while he may be watering the lawn is modal. => LexCart Section 5.1.1.3.

delicacy. [theoretical] [French: finesse] The scale from general to specific. In a system network, delicacy corresponds to the ordering of systems from left to right by means of entry conditions. For example, the following systems of MOOD increase in delicacy from left to right:



=> LexCart Section 1.2.2.

elaboration. [descriptive: semantics/ lexicogrammar x ideational x systemic x transphenomenal] [French: elaboration] One of the three types of expansion, the other being 'extension' and 'enhancement'. Elaboration is a transphenomenal type, which means that it is manifested in different environment of the lexicogrammatical system - for example, those of the clause complex, CONJUNCTION, and RELATION TYPE (in relational clauses). It is a reltion of 'being', covering subtypes such as restatement/ identity, exemplification/ classification.

ELLIPSIS. [descriptive: lexicogrammar x textual x systemic x various ranks] [French: ELLIPSIS] Textual system within the domain of cohesion for giving elements of wording in clauses or groups a textual status as continuous and contrastive information. The distinction between 'continuous' and 'contrastive' is realized by leaving out or eliding continuous elements and retaining contrastive ones. For example:

A: It looks like verse a little bit on the page, doesn't it?
B: Oh yes, it looks like verse a little bit on the page. (CEC 847)

A: Have you read Pincher Martin?
B: No, I haven't read Pincher Martin. (CEC 849)

=> IFG Section 9.3. => LexCart p. 95, pp. 158-60, Section 6.6.

entry condition. [theoretical] The condition under which the options specified by a system are available; that is, in terms of the traversal of the system network, the condition under which the system can be reached. An entry condition is a simple feature or a complex of features. See example under entry for => system. => LexCart Section1.2.2.

Epithet. [descriptive: lexicogrammar x experiential x structural x group rank: nominal] Experiential nominal group function, representing qualities of the thing represented by the nominal group. Typically realized by an adjective. It corresponds to Fries' (1970) loose-knit modifier. It is distinct from the Classifier function. For instance:



Note that the Epithet comes after the Thing under certain circumstances; this is always true of non-specific pronominals as Thing: [Thing:] something [Epithet:] wrong.

(Outside of systemic linguistics, adjectives serving as Epithet are often said to serve an attributive function, and this is a potential source of confusion since the function Attribute is a clause function in systemic descriptions of grammar, as in the evening is (Attribute:) delightful. This use of often called predicative outside of systemic linguistics.) => IFG p. 162-4. => LexCart Section 7.3.3.3.5.

ergative model. [descriptive: lexicogrammar x experiential x clause rank]Experiential model &shyp; transitivity model based on the variable of external cause: the basic question is whether the occurrence of the combination of Process + Medium (e.g., 'open + door') is brought about by a cause external to this combination, the Agent (e.g., 'Henry + open + door': Henry opened the door) or not (e.g., 'open + door': the door opened). There is one function common to both alternatives, the Medium. => IFG LexCart Section 5.8.

If we look at the clause in English from an interpersonal point of view, asking about the identity of the Subject, English looks 'nominative-accusative':



However, if we look at the clause from an ideational point of view, focusing on transitivity patterns, we find an ergative model (alongside the 'nominative-accusative' or transitive one):



Exchange. [descriptive: semantics x interpersonal x exchange rank] Metaphor for talking about the fundamental organization of dialogue and the context in which speech functions are used. The interactants in a dialogue engage in a symbolic exchange of meanings. For instance, one interactant may move the dialogue forward by demanding information, thus assigning himself or herself the role of 'questioner' but also assigning the addressee the complementary role of intended 'answerer'. => IFG LexCart Section 4.1; Halliday (1984); Martin (1992: Chapter 2). => LexCart Section 5.1.2.3.

Experiencer. Case (semantic) role used in non-systemic work inspired by Fillmore's (1968) case grammar. It corresponds roughly to the systemic transitivity function Senser (earlier, Cognizant), but is not necessarily restricted to mental clauses.

expansion. [descriptive: semantics/ lexicogrammar x ideational x systemic x transphenomenal]

experiential. [theoretical] [French: exp鲩entielle] One of the two subtypes of the ideational metafunction. It is the resource for representing experience. Its mode of organization is constituency. It corresponds (more or less) to what has been called functions of Darstellung, representation, denotation, cognitive content, semantics. (Sometimes these non-systemic terms include the other subtype of the ideational metafunction, the logical metafunction, sometimes not.) => LexCart Section 1.3, 2.3.3.

extension. [descriptive: semantics/ lexicogrammar x ideational x systemic x transphenomenal] [French: extension] A type of expansion.