clarke, r. j (2001) l951-11: 1 critical issues in information systems buss 951 lecture 11 text and...

Clarke, R. J (2001) L951-11: 1

Critical Issues in Information Systems

BUSS 951

Lecture 11Text and Context

Clarke, R. J (2001) L951-11: 2

Recall

last lecture we looked at language in the workplace

useful for analysing workpractices in workplaces

we have seen in tutorials that work practices, both manual and computer based, can be theorised as texts

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Agendarather than using signs, we use texts- signs

can be difficult to apply in practice and are a very small unit of analysis

we will use systemic-functional linguistics as a way of analysing workpractices in workplaces

language or texts becomes an analytical technology

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Evaluation of Semiotic Analysis

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Semiotic AnalysisCriticisms (1)

sometimes semioticians present their analyses as if they were objective, scientific accounts rather than subjective interpretations

some semiotic analysis has been criticised as nothing more than arid formalism

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in structuralist semiotics the focus is on langue rather than parole (Saussure's terms) on formal systems rather than on processes of use and production.

structuralism was primarily interested in studying structures in language

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Valentin Volosinov (Bakhtin) argues that the prime determinant of a sign is not its relationship to other signs but rather the social context of its use (Fiske 1992: 299).

Semiotics can appear to suggest that meaning is purely explicable in terms of determining structures

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purely structuralist semiotics does not address authorial intentions or audience interpretation

it ignores particular practices, institutional frameworks and the cultural, social, economic and political contexts

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Semiotic AnalysisStrengths (1)

semiotics emphasizes that signs are related to their signifieds by social conventions which we learn

we become so used to such conventions in our use of various media that they seem natural or commonsense

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Examples:television or photography becomes a 'a

window on the world'.computers make organisations efficient

and effectivethis is an ideological issue, since, “an

ideology is the sum of taken-for-granted realities of everyday life” (Burgin 1982: 46).

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semiotics can help to make us aware of what we take for granted in representing the world

we are always:dealing with signs, not with an

unmediated objective realitythat sign systems are involved in the

construction of meaning

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it can be difficult for us to realize the conventional nature of such relationships.

when we take these relationships for granted we treat the signified as unmediated or 'transparent' or commonsense

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Text and Non-Text

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Text and Non-Text

knowing when we do not have texts is very important!

one way of defining the difference between Computing Science and Information Systems fields (in Aust., Britain, Nth America) is based on the non-text/text distinction...

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Information SystemsText and Non-text

Information SystemsField

Computing ScienceField

Operating Systems, File SystemsCompilers, Loaders, Linkers,

Machine Architecture

in social use: Computer Centres,Business Data Processing etc.

Culture, Institutions, Organisations, Communications

Text

Non-text

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Information SystemsText and Non-text

we can see from the previous slide, that the objects of interest in computing science are basically all non-text

the exact opposite is true of IS!however in conducting IS studies in

organisations we are faced with a methodological problem...

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Text and Non-Textsometimes it is not possible to directly

acquire relevant texts in organisational applications

stictly speaking non-texts are unanalysable using SFL

many situations could be classed as non-textsExample 1: The Lone UserExample 2: Past Workpractices

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Example 1: Lone User

Computer based tool user working in apparent isolation in the organisation

this situation is referred to as the I-experience by Bakhtin (Volosinov in Innis ed/ 1985, 54-56).

Whatever may be going on is happening inside the head of the user, about which nothing linguistically can be said.

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Example 2: Past Workpractices

trying to analyse a past work practicean analyst may occasionally find

objects which provide clues to a workpractice which no longer exists

must be addressed in longitudinal (that is long-term) studies

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Empty Corpus Problem (1)

Methodologically, these two examples are instances of the empty corpus problem (Andersen 1992)

Both previous examples are unanalysable using systemic-functional linguistics

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Empty Corpus Problem (2)Partially Resolved

However, it is possible to transform an unanalysable empty corpus into a situation in which a text is produced:probing for, or eliciting, a text in a

situation in which we would normally not expect one

in fact SFL can help us determine the best way to achieve this transformation!

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Context and Text

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Context and TextSFL Semiotic Model of Language

used Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL) theory to provide actual methods for conducting applied linguistic analysis of texts (Halliday 1985)

the Stratal Model of SFL (Martin 1992) is derived in subsequent slides- useful in identifying which strata, systems, and units to consider in a specific study

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Context and Text Realisation

every text refers to its social context- we use the term ‘social context’ in the broadest way

must do so in order to be meaningful that is to communicate something to someone

in order to model the relationship between language and social context we use concentric ovals

one semiotic system (language) is a realisation of another more abstract one (social context)

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Social Context and LanguageRedounding

how language realises context is called redounding

language construes social context, language is construed by social context, and language reconstues social context ...

a relationship of mutual determination and interdependency NOT simple cause and effect

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Context and Text SFL Context and Text

solidary relationship- that is a relationship of unity- between texts and contexts

context predicts text, text construes context

note the similarity to Hjelmslev’s concepts a major influence for Martin’s reformulation of Halliday

Context

Text

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Context and Text SFL Bi-stratal Organisation of Context

two types of context recognised by the theory (after Malinowski) Situational Context which

provides secific situational ‘values’ to the text

Cultural Context which provides a pattern or template that is portable across different situations within a national or organisational culture

Language

Cultural Context

SituationalContext

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Context and Text SFL Contextual Strata

Cultural Context is represented in SFL by Genre text staging involving

sequence, selection, and iteration

Language

Genre

Register

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Social Context and Language Genre

this kind of patterning was referred to in tutorials as Genre

this patterning is like a templatewe can apply it in circumstances in

which the immediate situation may not be known (buying goods in a foreign country)

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Social Context and Language Genre

Genre forms a context related to “culture” and is referred to as the Context of Culture

genre is a kind of generalised text type:novelfilmservice encounter

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Social Context and Language Genre: Several Theories

now it so happens that there are two major views on genre

the first is that genre is simply the unique instance of field, tenor and mode (also called Contextual Configuration)

this is the model of genre theorised by Hasan

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in your reading, the ALABS system is looked at from this point of view initially- but it has some problems when looking at IS in organisations

the alternative way of looking at genre is to treat it in exactly the same way as the rest of the SFL model ie/ as its own strata

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for various reasons genre as a strata (after Martin) is much better way of looking at IS

like everything is SFL: linguistic resources form systems available to language users- genre should also be treated in this wayIS appear to have some strange

characteristics- they are multigeneric by nature

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Context and Text SFL Contextual Strata

Situational Context is represented in SFL by Register consisting of field- social

action and activities, tenor- who is involved in the language, and mode- how language is usedLanguage

Genre

Register

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Social Context and Language Register

we have also started to analyse texts in terms of their field, tenor and modefield- social activities and actionstenor- who is doing what to whommode- how language is used

these attributes were called Register or Context of Situation

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Social Context and Language Register

but we also said that we could identify an extra type of context

a kind of patterning exists in texts which is separate from the immediate situation (field, tenor and mode)

the patterning is portable across different situations

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Language and Social Context

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Language and Social ContextLanguage as a Semiotic System

unlike most semiotic systems, the meanings in language (content) are not directly realised into sounds or letters (expression)

language is a semiotic system consisting of three levels

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Language and Social ContextLanguage as a Semiotic System

recall Saussure’s concept of the sign = signifer + signified

content, or the meanings of language (signified), utilise two levelsmeanings are realised in wordings (that

is words and grammar)then, wordings are realised by an

expression consisting of sounds and letters

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Context and Text SFL Tri-stratal Organisation of Language

unlike most semiotic systems, the meanings in language (content) are not directly realised into sounds or letters (expression)

language is tristratal; the content (signified) involves meanings and wordings

Genre

Register

Meanings

Wordings

Expression

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Context and Text SFL Language Strata

meanings of a text are associated with the strata of Discourse Semantics…

…are in turn realised in wordings (words and grammar) are associated with the strata of Lexico-grammar

…are in turn given expression (sounds and letters) with the strata of Phonology/Graphology

Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

Phonology Graphology

Lexico-grammar

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Context and Text SFL Metafunctions

while strata are responsible for major language units, metafunctions are responsible for the kinds of meanings simultaneously conveyed in texts: ideational metafunction-

concerned with action interpersonal metafunction-

concerned with reflection textual metafunction-

concerned with connection

Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

field


Lexico-grammar

experiential

TransitivityMood Theme

textualinter- personal

tenor mode

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Context and Text SFL Ideational Metafunction

resolved in language as two distinct components- experiential meaning:

expression of processes and other phenomena in the social world including the speakers’ own consciousness

logical meanings: involves the mapping of experiential meanings into language

Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

field


Lexico-grammar

experiential



tenor mode

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Context and Text SFL Interpersonal Metafunction

the metafunction of language by which: social groups are delimited and the individual is identified,

represented and reinforced

Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

field


Lexico-grammar

experiential



tenor mode

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Context and Text SFL Textual Metafunction

refers to the way the text is organised as a piece of writing

Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

field


Lexico-grammar

experiential



tenor mode

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Integration Strata & Metafunction

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Discourse SemanticsMetafunctions

discourse semantics is the first content layer in SFL model of language

three kinds of meanings (metafunctions) are conveyed simultaneously in textsideational meaningsinterpersonal meaningstextual meanings

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Discourse SemanticsIdeational Metafunction

ideational metafunctionresolved in language as two distinct

components- experiential and logical meaningsexperiential meanings: expression of

processes and other phenomena in the social world including the speakers own consciousness

logical meanings: involves the mapping of experiential meanings into language

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Discourse SemanticsInterpersonal and Textual Metafunctions

interpersonal metafunction:social groups are delimitedthe individual is identified and

reinforced

textual metafunction:refers to the way the text is organised

as a piece of writing (or speech)

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Discourse Semantics & RegisterSolidarity

it so happens that there is a relationship (solidarity) between register and discourse semantics:

Register Discourse-Semanticsfield ideationaltenor interpersonalmode textual

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Lexico-grammar

second content level in SFLmetafunctions of discourse

semantics are rendered into words (lexis) and grammar

consists of:transitivitymoodtheme

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Lexico-grammarTransitivity involves:

who is doing what to whom when where why and how

Mood involves:type of clauses, the degree of certainty or obligation

expressed, the use of attitude words, politeness markers

Theme involves:patterns of foregrounding and continuity in the

organisation of clauses

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LG & Discourse SemanticsSolidarity

it so happens that there is a relationship (solidarity) between discourse semantics and lexicogrammar:

Discourse-Semantics LGideational transitivity

interpersonal mood

textual theme

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SFL Model of Language

these solidarities across strata can be added to our SFL diagram

shows how parts of each strata are involved in helping to produce texts

see Handout...

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Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

field


Lexico-grammar

experiential

Transitivity

Mood Theme


tenor mode

Context of Culture

Context of Situation

Language

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Context and Text Appropriate SFL Methods

stratal SFL model has useful properties, eg. for a given study appropriate linguistic methods can be determined in advance

for workpractices associated with IS, metthods must be selected that emphasise the relationship between a text and its context, rather than the language system

methods associated with the (organisational) of IS are used in the case

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SFL and Information Systems

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Language and social contextApplied to IS

SFL gives two complementary perspectives

can look at the perspective of language: IS as communication (text)

can look at the perspective of context: IS as social organisation

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applying SFL to examining systems is very different to traditional IS approaches

a given text provides only a partial perspective about a work practice

in the short term a linguistic analysis provides only a small part of the overall picture

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traditional IS practices are applied top-down: gives a very broad picture poor on details

SFL methodology is applied bottom-up: provides a very detailed view of work practices which then need to be integrated across various sites

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need to look at many actual texts in a social context in order to find out about work practices

only by shunting between language and social context (the work practice and the organisation) can we perform a meaningful analysis

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in your last substantive assignment you were asked to collect a single text (of a transaction)

you would need to collect many texts of the same type of transaction before you understood it (see all the variations)

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how many texts to collect?: well its difficult to know

you need to include those people involved in the work practices into the analysis

so this SFL approach to understanding work practices MUST be participative

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SFL and IS

not all the SFL model needs to be used on each text- what language resources you use will depend on the type of analysis needed

for IS the most useful strata and context (genre and register) and discourse semantics

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SFL and ISIS are interesting because they are

multigeneric, many genres are involved in describing the general properties of texts

end-user modification of system and wholesale management driven change can be characterised using genre...

clarke, r. j (2001) l951-11: 1 critical issues in information systems buss 951 lecture 11 text and...

Documents

language slide

texts slide

semiotic analysis criticisms

semiotic analysis strengths

commonsense slide

context slide

nontext slide

analytical technology