Lexico-grammatical Realization of Power in The Thorn Birds

Abstract

This paper explores how the interpersonal meaning of power is realized by the lexico-grammatical patterns, taking one episode from the novel The Thorn Birds as examples. The analytical framework is drawn from systemic functional grammar. The findings suggest that as a type of interpersonal meaning, power could be realized by non-reciprocal language patterns. The finding is meant to deepen our understanding of the relation between the meaning of text and the lexico-grammatical patterns that function to realize that meaning.