Interviews with M.A.K. Halliday: Language Turned Back on Himself

This volume gathers together 14 interviews with M A K Halliday, the founder of systemic functional linguistics (SFL), recorded over four decades – the most recent of which was conducted in 2011 and published here for the first time. In these engaging conversations with colleagues Halliday explores his own development as a student of language in Britain and China, the evolution of SFL theory around the world, its place in the field of general linguistics and its many sites of application. The dialogic mode enacted here allows Halliday to touch on many points of personal history and intellectual challenge that have not been addressed in formal publications (in his books or collected papers), including answers to the many thought-provoking questions his colleagues had waited sometimes years to ask. Accordingly each chapter offers a fresh illuminating window on the innovative thinking and assured convictions of this towering figure in linguistics.

Table of Contents:
Introduction \ 1. With Herman Parret (1972) \ 2. With Noboru Yamaguchi & Shunichi Segawa (1977) \ 3. From The English Magazine (1981) \ 4. With M. L. Tickoo (1985) \ 5. With Paul J. Thibault \ 6. With Ruqaiya Hasan, Gunther Kress & J. R. Martin (1986) \ 7. With Michael O'Toole and Gunter Kress (1989) \ 8. With Caroline Coffin (1998) \ 9. With Manuel A. Hernández (1998) \ 10. With Geoff Thompson and Heloisa Collins (1998) \ 11. With Anne Burns (2006) \ 12. With Hu Zhuanglin and Zhu Yongsheng (2010) \ 13. With Bilal Ibne Rasheen (2010) \ 14. With J. R. Martin & Paul J. Thibault (2011) \ Bibliography \ Index

About the Author :
J. R. Martin is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Sydney, Australia.

Review :
Edited by J. R. Martin, himself a prolific researcher in the SFL framework, the interviews span nearly 40 years, from 1972 to 2011, thus cover the major portion of the development of the theory and range of research practices and forms of engagement with real world issues that have come to be associated with it. The volume concludes with a helpful bibliography whereas as Halliday’s work is, of course, prominently represented, as well as an index … In its ability to offer this polyphony of considerations from a deeply humane perspective this book is a gist to anyone interested in what language does and how it does it, from beginning graduate student to seasoned researcher. The ontological and philosophical aspects of this collection of interviews, unlike most SFL books that cover application aspects, allow readers to have a deeper appreciation for the theory. I would recommend this book to researchers who are working closely with Halliday's theory. The phrases “major figure”, “significance” and “international influence” are commonly overblown in the contemporary academic world; but these interviews with Michael Halliday require no exaggeration. They represent the richest of testimonies to his centrality, significance, impact and enduring influence as a linguist. For the student of language at all levels this is learning by dialogue at its very best. The range, depth, generosity of spirit and creativity dedicated in these interviews to ideas about the theory and practice of language and their application to the real world are simply immense and inspiring. Spanning four decades, these interviews with Michael Halliday provide a delightfully readable yet deeply thought-provoking exploration of the fundamental insights and continuity of stance toward the investigation of language as well as of the remarkable openness and adaptability that characterize Halliday the researcher and his work in systemic functional linguistic theory. Established researchers and those familiar with SFL as well as those who are just beginning to encounter this meaning-oriented theory of language—as was the case for my graduate students—can expect to experience wonderful “aha” moments that will help them understand more deeply the contexts and commitments that have long guided Halliday’s “appliable linguistics” and the humane qualities and generosity of spirit that make it so enormously appealing as a theory of language for our times.