It is believed that teachers in secondary education prioritise correctness in grammar instruction and, in doing so, often overlook the functional potential of language, which is used to negotiate social meaning. The paper aims to investigate the language instruction gap in high school general English language classes by examining the extent to which lesson plans incorporate Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) as a resource for meaning-making (Schleppegrell, 2017). The analysis in this paper applies Halliday’s (1994) metafunctional framework and Nunan’s (1995) analytical outline in order to investigate a corpus of ten lesson plans and their corresponding materials through a qualitative coding scheme. The findings reveal that the main instructions remain dominated by prescriptive rules that treat language as a static object. The analysis indicates that, despite learner-centred classroom management, the interpersonal resources of Mood and Modality remain teacher-controlled, limiting learners’ ability to actively participate in the meaning-making process. The paper concludes that SFG can contribute to bridging the instruction gap by transforming grammar from a set of restrictive rules into a dynamic, functional resource for successful communication.

Abstract The paper aims to evaluate the role of language in a specific socio-political context. It offers a critical approach and evaluation of the political statements of the European Union representatives regarding the process of the accession of Bosnia and Hercegovina to the European Union. The focus of the linguistic investigation is on the identification of language structures that participate in the development of communicative models that enable the establishment of power relations between participating entities. The linguistic data is obtained through systemic functional grammar and evaluated using critical discourse analysis.

<p>The paper focuses on the role of language in a specific socio-political context. It offers a critical<br />approach regarding the representation of political actors in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) in press releases<br />of the Office of the High Representative in BiH, for the period 2006 - 2011. The aim of the linguistic<br />examination is to analyse the notion of the power imbalance between different actors and ideology which<br />is subtly interwoven in the investigated discourse. There are three stages of analysis in the process of<br />linguistic investigation. In the first stage of analysis, the linguistic investigation is carried out by the means<br />of language tools provided by systemic functional grammar. At this stage, the text is analysed at three<br />different levels: ideational, interpersonal, and textual. In the second stage, the logogentic patterns, which<br />emerge as a result of the lexico-grammatical investigation, are further sifted by the analytical framework<br />of critical discourse analysis. In the final stage of the investigation, the text, which is comprehended as a<br />structure realized by clauses, undergoes a pragmatic investigation of presuppositions. The paper shows<br />that the proposed threefold investigation of the text enables the deconstruction of the meaning of the text<br />and at the same time provides an insight into the nature of the relationship between different actors<br />involved in the discourse.</p>

<p>The aim of the paper was to conduct Critical Discourse Analysis of political discourse of three<br />High Representatives stationed in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period 2006 &ndash; 2010. In order to<br />carry out the envisaged analysis, the key tool for language description was Systemic Functional<br />Grammar. The theory elaborates significance of language in everyday life and its role in the<br />construction of meanings. The analytical framework for CDA consisted of three stages: description,<br />interpretation and explanation. The paper shows that CDA approach to language analysis and SFG<br />descriptive language tools provide a valuable platform for investigations of language in context. The<br />findings highlight different communicative models which emerge as a result of lexico-grammatical<br />choices that political actors make in specific contexts and under specific circumstances.</p>

Abstract The aim of the paper is to reveal that humour processing is an exertion which requires both, mental and emotional capacities. To prove the point, two theories for humour processing were employed: the conceptual integration theory and the benign violation theory. The paper shows that theories, though different, possess certain common elements and represent useful tools in humour processing. The conceptual integration theory, with its input spaces, blending processes and generic space, together with the benign violation theory and its detection of humorous elements within tragic situations, could be valuable assets in understanding how people find humour in intimidating and life-threatening situations. The paper also sheds some light on how different age groups perceive black humour showing that age and life experience facilitate understanding of black humour.