A systemic-functional profile of the nominal group in Spanish: structure, basic discursive functions and systemic organisation

Abstract

This paper proposes a text-based systemic-functional account of the Spanish nominal group. Firstly, approaching the Spanish nominal group ‘from above’ (i.e. taking the contextual variables of field and mode as a starting point), two key discourse semantic systems are introduced – ideation and identification. The paper then describes the structural resources that contribute to the realisation of choices in ideation in lexicogrammar – including the Thing, the Classifier and the Epithet functions. It then moves on to the Deictic and the Qualifier functions, which realise choices in identification. Based on the structural configurations described, including the classes of units realising them along the rank scale, the paper proposes a systemic profile of the Spanish nominal group, canvassing the various choices in play. Finally, the paper reviews the implications of the approach proposed for functionally-oriented descriptive and applied research.