Home Linguistics & Semiotics 18. The Language Of Science – A Systemicfunctional Perspective
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

18. The Language Of Science – A Systemicfunctional Perspective

  • Jonathan J. Webster
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Explore this Subject How to publish with us
Languages for Special Purposes
This chapter is in the book Languages for Special Purposes

Abstract

Over the course of history, as the need arose for more powerful and abstract theories of experience, humankind has relied on the power of language ‘to reconstrue commonsense reality into one that imposed regularities on experience and brought the environment more within our power to control’. The source of that power in language lies in its potential for grammatical metaphor. Grammatical metaphor in scientific discourse is described as ‘a steady drift towards things; and the prototype of a thing is a concrete object’. Examples of grammatical metaphor include length, which is ‘a junction of (the quality) “long” and the category meaning of a noun, which is “entity” or “thing”’, and motion, which is ‘a junction of the (the process) “move” and the category meaning, again of a noun’. With grammatical metaphor, the scientist can make the world stand still, or turn it into one consisting only of things, or even create new, virtual realities. We will also explore how the features of scientific English have developed over time, evolving to meet the needs of the experts, giving them enormous power over the environment, but at the risk of alienating learners and turning science into ‘the prerogative of an elite’.

Abstract

Over the course of history, as the need arose for more powerful and abstract theories of experience, humankind has relied on the power of language ‘to reconstrue commonsense reality into one that imposed regularities on experience and brought the environment more within our power to control’. The source of that power in language lies in its potential for grammatical metaphor. Grammatical metaphor in scientific discourse is described as ‘a steady drift towards things; and the prototype of a thing is a concrete object’. Examples of grammatical metaphor include length, which is ‘a junction of (the quality) “long” and the category meaning of a noun, which is “entity” or “thing”’, and motion, which is ‘a junction of the (the process) “move” and the category meaning, again of a noun’. With grammatical metaphor, the scientist can make the world stand still, or turn it into one consisting only of things, or even create new, virtual realities. We will also explore how the features of scientific English have developed over time, evolving to meet the needs of the experts, giving them enormous power over the environment, but at the risk of alienating learners and turning science into ‘the prerogative of an elite’.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface V
  3. Contents IX
  4. Part I: Fundamental Aspects
  5. 1.Lsp As Specialised Genres 3
  6. 2.Languages For Special Purposes As Instruments For Communicating Knowledge 26
  7. 3.Lsps As Instruments For Intercultural Communication 45
  8. 4.Lsp Lexicography And Typology Of Specialized Dictionaries 71
  9. 5.Teaching Lsp To Technical Communicators 96
  10. Part II: Lsps In Different Domains And Language Communities
  11. 6.Legal Language 113
  12. 7.Economic Language 151
  13. 9. Lsps In French 209
  14. 10. Finnish For Special Purposes: Terminology Work In Finland 225
  15. 11. Norwegian Lsps 234
  16. 12. Dominance Of Esp In Various Domains In The Context Of Gobal English 255
  17. 13. Gender And Lsp 267
  18. Part III: Corporate And Controlled Communication
  19. 14. Company-Speak, Organisation-Speak 279
  20. 15. Controlled Language 289
  21. 16. Technical Communication And Technical Documentation 307
  22. 17. Instructional Texts – Learn How To Get Things Done 321
  23. Part IV: Science Communication
  24. 18. The Language Of Science – A Systemicfunctional Perspective 345
  25. 19. Oral Discourse In Scientific Research 364
  26. 20. Legal Discourse As An Example Of Domain-Specific Science Communication 381
  27. 21. Lsps As Instruments For Science Communication 406
  28. Part V: Terminology And Multilingual Domain Communication
  29. 22. Term Formation And Neology 437
  30. 23. Terminological Concept Systems 453
  31. 24. Socioterminology 469
  32. 25.Technical Terminology 489
  33. 26. Terminology Work In Different Domains: Legal Terminology 509
  34. 27. Terminology Work In Different Domains: Medical Terminology 522
  35. 28. Terminology Work For Specific Problem Areas And Issues: The Case Of Oil Terminology 535
  36. 29.Legal translation 548
  37. Index 563
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110228014-018

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface V
  3. Contents IX
  4. Part I: Fundamental Aspects
  5. 1.Lsp As Specialised Genres 3
  6. 2.Languages For Special Purposes As Instruments For Communicating Knowledge 26
  7. 3.Lsps As Instruments For Intercultural Communication 45
  8. 4.Lsp Lexicography And Typology Of Specialized Dictionaries 71
  9. 5.Teaching Lsp To Technical Communicators 96
  10. Part II: Lsps In Different Domains And Language Communities
  11. 6.Legal Language 113
  12. 7.Economic Language 151
  13. 9. Lsps In French 209
  14. 10. Finnish For Special Purposes: Terminology Work In Finland 225
  15. 11. Norwegian Lsps 234
  16. 12. Dominance Of Esp In Various Domains In The Context Of Gobal English 255
  17. 13. Gender And Lsp 267
  18. Part III: Corporate And Controlled Communication
  19. 14. Company-Speak, Organisation-Speak 279
  20. 15. Controlled Language 289
  21. 16. Technical Communication And Technical Documentation 307
  22. 17. Instructional Texts – Learn How To Get Things Done 321
  23. Part IV: Science Communication
  24. 18. The Language Of Science – A Systemicfunctional Perspective 345
  25. 19. Oral Discourse In Scientific Research 364
  26. 20. Legal Discourse As An Example Of Domain-Specific Science Communication 381
  27. 21. Lsps As Instruments For Science Communication 406
  28. Part V: Terminology And Multilingual Domain Communication
  29. 22. Term Formation And Neology 437
  30. 23. Terminological Concept Systems 453
  31. 24. Socioterminology 469
  32. 25.Technical Terminology 489
  33. 26. Terminology Work In Different Domains: Legal Terminology 509
  34. 27. Terminology Work In Different Domains: Medical Terminology 522
  35. 28. Terminology Work For Specific Problem Areas And Issues: The Case Of Oil Terminology 535
  36. 29.Legal translation 548
  37. Index 563
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2026 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 1.1.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110228014-018/html
Scroll to top button