Serious Problems That Invalidate The 'Classifying' Subtype Of Focus

   Martin, Matthiessen & Painter (2010: 170):

The Focus element can have a range of functions, which are outlined in Table 5.7 below.

Blogger Comments:

To be clear, contrary to the above, the 'classifying' subtype of Focus does not classify a sub-type of the Thing. Instead, it simply construes the notion of 'subtype'. 

In the second two editions of IFG (Halliday & Matthiessen 2004; 2014: 395), this type of construction is interpreted as an extended Numerative:

The problem here is that 'type (quality)' is inconsistent with the category meaning of 'Numerative'. Halliday (1985: 163; 1994: 183):

The Numerative element indicates some numerical feature of the subset: either quantity or order, either exact or inexact.

On the other hand, in the first two editions of IFG (Halliday 1985; 1994), this type of construction is not identified as one in which Head and Thing are out of phase, so it is simply a case of Head/Thing conflation:

This interpretation is supported by the fact the Head is also the entity that functions as participant in the transitivity system (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 394). For example, it is the Head element that is also the Thing to which Attributes are assigned:

This kind of X is tasty.

This type of X is unreliable.

This class of X is superior.

This category of X is illegal.

This brand of X is over-priced.

This make of X is downmarket.

This form of X is beautiful.

This variety of X is popular.

This species of X is endangered.