Cohesion Analysis in Functional Linguistics

Cohesion analysis, as explored by Halliday and Hasan (1976) in their seminal work Cohesion in English, is a fundamental aspect of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). It examines how various linguistic elements work together to create a unified and coherent text.

Types of Cohesion

According to Halliday and Hasan, cohesion can be categorized into several types, each playing a crucial role in text coherence:

1. Reference

Reference cohesion involves the use of pronouns, determiners, and other referring expressions to link elements across a text. It includes:

• Anaphoric Reference: Refers back to something previously mentioned in the text. For example, "John went to the park. He enjoyed it."
• Cataphoric Reference: Refers forward to something mentioned later in the text. For example, "When he arrived, John was happy."
• Exophoric Reference: Refers to something outside the text, often relying on shared knowledge. For example, "Look at that!" (where "that" is understood by the context).

2. Substitution

Substitution cohesion involves replacing one element with another to avoid repetition and maintain textual flow. It includes:

• Nominal Substitution: Replacing a noun with another noun or pronoun. For example, "I need a pen. Do you have one?"
• Verbal Substitution: Replacing a verb with another verb or verb phrase. For example, "I like to read, and so does she."
• Clausal Substitution: Replacing a clause with another clause. For example, "They said they would come, and they did."

3. Ellipsis

Ellipsis cohesion involves the omission of elements that are understood from the context, making the text more concise. It includes:

• Nominal Ellipsis: Omitting a noun or noun phrase. For example, "I need a pen. Do you have one?" (where "one" substitutes for "a pen").
• Verbal Ellipsis: Omitting a verb or verb phrase. For example, "She can sing, and he can too." (where "sing" is omitted after "can").
• Clausal Ellipsis: Omitting a clause or part of a clause. For example, "I will if you will." (where "do it" is omitted).

4. Conjunction

Conjunction cohesion involves using conjunctions and connectives to link clauses, sentences, or paragraphs logically. It includes:

• Additive: Adding information, e.g., "and," "moreover."
• Adversative: Showing contrast, e.g., "but," "however."
• Causal: Showing cause and effect, e.g., "because," "therefore."
• Temporal: Indicating time relations, e.g., "then," "afterwards."

5. Lexical Cohesion

Lexical cohesion involves the use of vocabulary to create links between elements of a text. It includes:

• Repetition: Repeating the same word or phrase. For example, "The cat sat on the mat. The cat was happy."
• Synonymy: Using synonyms or near-synonyms. For example, "The cat sat on the mat. The feline was content."
• Antonymy: Using opposites. For example, "The cat was small. The dog was large."
• Collocation: Using words that commonly occur together. For example, "The cat caught a mouse."
• Hyponymy: Using words that have a hierarchical relationship. For example, "The animal was a cat."

Application of Cohesion Analysis

Cohesion analysis, as detailed by Halliday and Hasan, is used extensively in linguistics, education, discourse analysis, and text analysis. It helps in understanding how coherence is achieved in various types of texts.

Cohesion analysis in Functional Linguistics provides a comprehensive framework for examining the linguistic mechanisms that contribute to the unity and coherence of texts, making it a vital tool for both linguistic researchers and educators.