ABSTRACT
This chapter arises from the ongoing dialogue between the systemic functional linguistics (SFL) and Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) research communities. It revisits the register variable mode in SFL, in relation to the concept of ‘semantic gravity’ in LCT. In registers of SFL working with a stratified model of context, mode is traditionally approached from a textual perspective as involving two simultaneous clines – one accounting for the re-texturing of discourse as we move from language in action to language as reflection (for example, from the language spoken by players in a game of football through play-by-play commentary to expert commentary following the game), and another accounting for re-texturing as we move from dialogic interaction to monologue (for example, from chatty conversation through a semi-structured interview to a lecture). The term ‘context dependency’ crops up frequently in this research. This chapter re-considers what is meant by ‘contextual dependency’ in relation to work on ‘semantic gravity’ in LCT. In particular it explores contextual dependency from the perspective of textual, interpersonal and ideational meaning, thereby highlighting implicitness, negotiability and iconicity, respectively. The term ‘presence’ is suggested as a cover term for these resources. The paper focuses on History discourse in Australian secondary schools.
