Interpersonal Meaning Analysis Of Female Discourse In Pride And Prejudice

Based on interpersonal function theory, one of the basic theories of systemic-functional grammar, this thesis aims at analyzing interpersonal structural features in female discourse of Pride and Prejudice. With the mechanical combination of interpersonal meaning and discourse analysis theory in literature analysis, it can be viewed as a new developing option on literature appreciation. In the development of discourse analysis, the cross-subjects researching has continuously opened some new research paths, such as sociology, semiotics, psychology, linguistics and so on. Halliday's systemic-functional linguistics is an important branch of linguistics. Interpersonal, textual and ideational functions organize the three metafunctions which construct the main structure of systemic-functional grammar. Interpersonal function aims to probe into interpersonal relationship, emphasizing the study of the relationship between turn-taking selection mark and transforming patterns; individual communication mode and frequency and subjective judgment ability; the values and ideology and social status and subtle interpersonal relationship between addresser and audience in the fiction. It is considered for functional linguistics that there are three metafunctions in language and they can be realized by corresponding grammatical elements. Among them, interpersonal meaning can be demonstrated through mood system, modality system and appraisal system. With the analysis on mood and modality structural features and their changing laws in the novel Pride and Prejudice by the heroine Elizabeth, the thesis targets at studying in a rational approach on interpersonal meaning in female discourse, mental activity's features and interpersonal relationship between the heroine and the other characters around her to display the people's values in the 19th century England society and the serious social problem then.The researching processes are arranged as following: Chapter 1 is an introduction to the current development of discourse analysis theory and the purpose of the thesis. On one hand, it has been reviewed on the great contribution of Systemic Functional Grammar for discourse analysis, on the other hand, through discourse analysis, the cognitive process of the textual promotion and the deep social significance then can be explored. Chapter 2 lists the novel's creation background and female discourse features. In the authoress Austen's living period, the bourgeois life style had become the main trend of social life. But women were still in an inferior position and they were discriminated. This kind of phenomenon reflected on marriage is that women have no freedom to choose husband even if they marry for the sake of marriage; reflected on female discourse, many features like implicit, elegant, trivial and so on can be seen much more than in male discourse, and women have their preferred topics. Chapter 3 is the theoretical basis on which a sketchy description of interpersonal meaning development is made and the two main elements: mood and modality are illustrated. Chapter 4 applies the two theories and other relevant theories to have a detailed analysis of all Elizabeth's discourse in the novel to probe into the purport and social meaning. Comparing the application effects of mood and modality, it can be seen that the two kinds of interpersonal function branches have different features. Mood restricts the manner of speaking while modality reflects the subtle change of the tone in the speaker's discourse. So it can be seen that the sentence type, modal vocabulary, narration pattern features are interwoven with thinking development and change continuously in Elizabeth's discourse. Chapter 5 makes a conclusion and puts forward suggestions based on predecessors' theoretical foundation. The aim is to push interpersonal meaning to a new phase.The thesis is based on interpersonal meaning and combines with the theories of related subjects such as semantics, stylistics and so on to analyze literary works. It is hoped to produce an active influence on discourse analysis and literature review.