Abstract:

Professor Halliday raises 13 representative questions for thinking about the English language and the answers are given by reference to the Systemic Functional Theory, in particular the three metafunctions: questions 1–5 and 12 are concerned with the Interpersonal while 3–5 are also textual; 6–10 involve the Textual, among which 6–8 refer to both thematization and information while 9–10 are mainly informational: the thematic principle interpret the initial status of the clause while the informational whether the end weight importance (9) or Given for reference (10); questions 11–13 deal with verbs in their respective phase, modality and polarity. Such a description and interpretation makes one rethink about English why it has evolved the way it has by what it looks like.

Author: M.A.K. Halliday