An Analysis Of Weather Forecast In English And Vietnamese In The Light Of Systemic Functional Grammar

Abstract

This study examines the features of systemic functional grammar in English and Vietnamese weather forecasts by employing discourse analysis. The objective of this research is to apply a Systemic Functional Linguistics model of three metafunctions to the analysis of the clauses and their constituents in order to track some common features in the structural frameworks of weather forecasts. It aims to examine the interpersonal and textual functions of the weather forecasts in English and Vietnamese to provide the Vietnamese teachers and students of English with an insightful knowledge concerning how language functions and organized in weather forecasts in English and Vietnamese. Certain points of similarity and difference of the functional grammar aspects were also highlighted in English and Vietnamese weather forecasts. Altogether 50 weather commentaries in English and 50 ones in Vietnamese were pinpointed in order to determine the common lexico-grammatical features that result in producing the systemic constructs of the weather discourse. The Systemic Functional Linguistics analysis shows that multiple Theme includes textual Theme, interpersonal Theme and topical Theme in the weather discourse and the declarative Mood was clearly preferred over interrogatives and imperatives. The implications arise from this study, based on which suggestions are made for teaching, learning and weather presenting.