FUNCTIONAL-SEMANTIC CATEGORIES AND FUNCTIONAL-SEMANTIC FIELDS IN THE SYSTEM OF FUNCTIONAL GRAMMAR

Abstract

The authors of this article focus on the functional approach to linguistic research in general, and one of its branches—functional grammar—in particular. The functional approach allows for the dynamic study of linguistic system mechanisms, in terms of the interaction of form, content, and function, and the exploration of linguistic units within the unity of their semantic and pragmatic properties. Functional grammar examines functional-semantic categories—complex semantic and formal unities that express abstract semantic content. The categorical approach allows for the integration of units of different levels into a single semantic space. The semantic dominant, that is, categorical content, can be represented to varying degrees and extents by different linguistic means. These can be represented as a field model, which allows for a visual representation of the system of means for realizing a given category. The field approach allows us to conceptualize linguistic means as a unified system of linguistic means, which in traditional grammar would be divided into different levels and subsystems. Here, the connecting link is not only semantics but also function. Means with a clearly defined categorical semantics constitute the center of the functional-semantic field; the weaker this semantics, the closer to the periphery the linguistic units are located. The periphery, as a rule, exhibits a more pronounced ability to intersect with other categories and fields, and here, instances of intercategorical interaction at the semantic level are more frequent.

Extended Abstract

This article provides a systematic exposition of the core theoretical apparatus of functional grammar, centering on the concepts of the functional-semantic category and the functional-semantic field. The authors position the functional approach as a fundamental methodological principle in modern linguistics, enabling the dynamic study of language system mechanisms through the tripartite interaction of form, content, and function. This perspective facilitates the investigation of linguistic units within the unity of their semantic and pragmatic properties, moving beyond a purely structural analysis to consider units as building blocks of utterances and their functional laws.

The cornerstone of this model, as developed in the school of A.V. Bondarko, is the functional-semantic category. It is defined as a complex semantic and formal unity—a “generalised meaning” expressed by a system of multi-level language units interacting based on the commonality of their semantic function. Examples include temporality, modality, aspectuality, and causality. This categorical approach allows for the integration of units from different linguistic strata into a single, unified semantic space. The semantic dominant, or categorical content, can be expressed to varying degrees and extents by diverse linguistic means.

These means are systematised within the model of a functional-semantic field. A functional-semantic field represents the linguistic embodiment of a semantic category, structured as an ordered set of diverse, multi-level means. The field is organised as a centre-periphery structure. Its centre comprises means with the most clearly defined and inherent categorical semantics. The periphery consists of units where this semantics is weaker, more contextual, or implied. Crucially, the periphery exhibits a heightened capacity for intersection and interaction with other categories and fields, making intercategorical semantic interaction more frequent in this zone.

To analyze the realisation of these abstract categories in actual speech, the theory employs the concept of a categorical situation. A categorical situation is a typical content structure, grounded in a specific semantic category and its corresponding field, which represents one facet of the total semantic situation conveyed by an utterance. In speech production, multiple categorical situations (e.g., of temporality, modality, and personalness) typically intersect and interact within a single utterance, reflecting the complex, integrated nature of thought and speech activity.

Consequently, functional grammar is fundamentally integrative and systemic. It expands the traditional domain of grammar beyond morphology and syntax to encompass the study of grammatical unities within their full linguistic and contextual environment, including lexis and the speech situation. This approach synthesises grammatical, semantic, and functional analyses, aiming to describe not merely an inventory of forms, but the systemically organised principles governing thought and speech activity through language.