Thai transitivity : a functional grammar analysis

This research is a study on a functional analysis of an aspect of Thai grammar. It is based on the theoretical framework of Systemic Functional Theory developed by Halliday and other systemicists. Though Systemic Functional Theory has been widely used in the West for linguistic analysis, it has not captured the attention of research in Thai linguistics. Thus, this study attempts to make this research transition as its contribution to Thai linguistics. The focus is on the description of the experiential grammar of the clause or the system of TRANSITIVITY. In Functional Grammar, which is the core of Systemic Functional Theory, formal units in natural language display a variety of simultaneous grammatical structures, which are fused together in the process of realisation. These structures are the syntagmatic expressions of paradigmatic choices which are themselves realisationally related to the metafunctions of language. Both the paradigmatic and syntagmatic aspects of the experiential grammar of the Thai clause will be examined. This study consists of three components: (a) reviewing the linguistic analysis of Thai from different grammatical perspectives, (b) examining the reasons why Functional Grammar provides deep linguistic insights into the understanding of Thai linguistics, and (c) conducting a comprehensive analysis of the Thai system of transitivity.