The Symbolisation Subtype Of Facet

Matthiessen (1995: 657):

With elaborating selection, the Facet construes the order of abstraction (picture, symbol, etc.) or delicacy (type, example, etc.) of the participant being represented whereas with extending selection, the Facet construes the size (collection, cup, part, etc.). The more delicate types are set out in Table 7-10 below together with nouns that can serve as the Head of the nominal group realising Facet.

Blogger Comments:

As previously explained, the symbolisation category does not satisfy the requirements of a Facet, because the Head always conflates with Thing in such nominal groups. That is, words like picture, photograph, painting, drawing, sketch, symbol, sign always function as Thing — not Facet — because such words serve as the participant in the transitivity structure of the clause. Halliday & Matthiessen (2014: 394):

… the Thing is the entity that is functioning as participant in the transitivity structure of the clause … .