The Indeterminacy Of Process In Clause And Ambiguity

Ambiguity is a common and universal phenomenon. The study on ambiguity is of great value to describing language phenomenon and constructing linguistic theory. The master linguist Chomsky emphasizes that the ability to resolve and explain the ambiguity can decide the degree of accurateness of a grammar. Zhu Dexi also says, "Ambiguity embodies the complexity and subtlety of the grammatical system in a language. Thus, the analysis about ambiguity will give us much insight into the observation and the study of grammar." Many scholars both at home and abroad have studied ambiguity from different aspects and with different theories, which forms a comparatively complete theoretical system in its classification and definition.In light of the study achievement made by other schools and based on the transitivity theory in the Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) proposed by Halliday, This thesis makes a tentative analysis about the ambiguity embodied by the indeterminacy of process in transitivity and its function in different styles with the purpose of exploring the cognitive origin of ambiguity and the mutual relationship between form and meaning in discourse construction.SFG linguist Halliday proposes the three meta-functions of language and they are ideational, interpersonal and textual function and each one is embodied in a set of semantic systems. Transitivity is one important semantic system for ideational function. SFG defines transitivity as different processes. There are six main processes and they are material, mental, relational, behavioral, verbal and existential process. Transitivity describes the experience both outside and inward by analyzing the mutual relation between participant, environment and the process verb. Both Halliday and Thompson point out that there are no clear boundaries between different processes and some clause could embody two or more process types, which means that one clause could include more than one meaning potential. By this way, the indeterminacy of process in clauses leads to ambiguity. This thesis will analyze its reason and its function in constructing discourse from the aspect of cognition, metaphor, communication purpose on both sides (writer/speaker and reader/listener), situational context and cultural context. This thesis presents a dynamic analysis about the mutual relationship between linguistic form and meaning and such analysis will greatly complement, verify and improve what Halliday has proposed: choice is meaning.The main content of this thesis includes: the introduction; the theoretical foundation of the research; the types of ambiguity caused by the indeterminacy of processes; the reason of the ambiguity; the application of the ambiguity in different styles and the conclusion.It is a breakthrough and creation to study ambiguity from the aspect of Systemic Functional Grammar. This thesis will make certain contribution for promoting ambiguity studyfrom a new point of view and will provide a reference for other people who are interested in ambiguity study.