De La Salle UniversityManila

Department of English and Applied Linguistics

College of Education

INTERPERSONAL FUNCTION ANALYSIS OF

CARLOS P. ROMULO

“I AM A FILIPINO”

Submitted by:

Nelson C. del Mundo (11390387)

Submitted to:

Dr. Reme Z. MicianoProfessor, Seminar on Research and Stylistics

Interpersonal Function Analysis of Carlos P. Romulo

“I am a Filipino”

Introduction:

I am a Filipino – inheritor of a glorious past, hostage to

the uncertain future. As such I must prove equal to a two-fold

task- the task of meeting my responsibility to the past, and the

task of performing my obligation to the future. I sprung from a

hardy race – child of many generations removed of ancient Malayan

pioneers. Across the centuries, the memory comes rushing back to

me: of brown-skinned men putting out to sea in ships that were as

frail as their hearts were stout. Over the sea I see them come,

borne upon the billowing wave and the whistling wind, carried

upon the mighty swell of hope- hope in the free abundance of new

land that was to be their home and their children’s forever.

'I Am a Filipino' is one of the most famous literary works

by Carlos P. Romulo. He wrote it in August 1941 and was later

published in The Philippines Herald. Carlos P. Romulo was a

Filipino politician, diplomat, journalist, and author.

The study attempts to investigate the writer-reader

relationship through interpersonal function of the language in

the article.

Theoretical Framework:

Systemic functional grammar (SFG) is a form of grammatical

description originated by Michael Halliday.[1] It is part of a

social semiotic approach to language called systemic functional

linguistics. In these two terms, systemic refers to the view of

language as "a network of systems, or interrelated sets of

options for making meaning" (Halliday 1994 p. 15); [2] functional

refers to Halliday's view that language is as it is because of

what it has evolved to do. Thus, what he refers to as the

multidimensional architecture of language "reflects the

multidimensional nature of human experience and interpersonal

relations.”

The three concepts of textual, interpersonal and ideational

are essential elements for systemic analysis of texts. This can

be summarized as:

Textual: type/token ratios, vocabulary use, register

Interpersonal: speech-function, exchange structure,

involvement and detachment, personal reference, use of

pronouns, "interactive items" showing the position of the

speaker (just, whatever, basically, slightly), discourse

markers (words that moderate/monitor the interaction,

e.g., well, might, good, so, anyway)

Ideational: propositional content; modality through (in

English) modal auxiliaries, e.g.,

(Taken from:

http://language.la.psu.edu/aplng597a/halliday_intro.html)

The researcher will focus on the interpersonal function.

The interpersonal function embodies all uses of language to

express social and personal relations (Hu, 1988, Wang 2010 as

cited by Yin). Among the areas of the grammar, personal

pronouns, modality and mood are closely associated with the

interpersonal function (Halliday, 1978 as cited by Yin).

Prototypical Personal Pronouns Diagram:

Pronoun Person/plurality Gender

StandardI First person singularWe First person pluralYou Second person singular / second person plural

He Third person masculine singular Masculine

She Third person feminine singular Feminine

It Third person neuter singular Neuter

TheyThird person plural / third person gender-neutral singular

www.wikipedia.com

Thus, personal pronouns are defensible indicators of

interpersonal interactivity and may be considered both textual

and interpersonal discursive features, are the means language

providers for constituting the roles of speaker and addressee in face to

face interaction.

The writer’s self-identification in the writer-reader

relationship as cited by Yin, 2012 may be revealed by the

personal pronouns; whether he identifies himself with, or

distances himself from, the reader. In the study, among the 31

main clauses in “I am a Filipino” all the main clause used active

voice. As doer in the active voice, the subject has a relevant

position in the clause. This makes the personal pronoun in the

subjective form the focus of the study.

Modality is concerned with the speaker's assessment of, or

attitude towards, the potentiality of a state of affairs.

Modality therefore relates to different worlds. Assessments of

potentiality, as in You must be right, relate to the world of

knowledge and reasoning. This type of modality is known

asepistemic modality. Modal attitudes apply to the world of

things and social interaction. This type of modality is known

as root modality. Root modality comprises three subtypes: deontic

modality, intrinsic modality and disposition modality. Deontic

modality is concerned with the speaker's directive attitude

towards an action to be carried out, as in the obligation You

must go now. Intrinsic modality is concerned with potentialities

arising from intrinsic qualities of a thing or circumstances, as

in “The meeting can be cancelled”, i.e. 'it is possible for the

meeting to be cancelled.' Disposition modality is concerned with

a thing's or a person's intrinsic potential of being actualized;

in particular abilities. Thus, when you have the ability to play

the guitar you will potentially do so. Notions of modality are

expressed by cognition verbs such as I think, modal adverbs such

as possibly, and modal verbs such as must. Modal verbs have a

special status among modal expressions: they ground a situation

in potential reality." (Günter Radden and René Dirven, Cognitive English Grammar.

John Benjamins, 2007)

Mood shows what role the speaker selects in the speech

situation and what role he assigns to the addressee (Hu, 1988, as

cited in Wang, 2010, p. 255 and mentioned by Yin 2012). There

are three moods in English: declarative, interrogative, and

imperative (Halliday, 1994 p. 74, as cited by Yin, 2012). For

example, the clause "The best goodbyes are short." is

declarative; “What are you doing?” is interrogative and “Get some

water for me!” is imperative. Text as Halliday argues, has

essential features that is interactive (1976, p.39 cited in Yin

2012). Thus the interpersonal function of language in speech

applies in the written text.

Conceptual Framework of Data:SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL

GRAMMAR

Diagram 1: Conceptual Framework of Data

As shown in Diagram 1, the researcher will investigate the

wide use of personal pronouns, modal auxiliaries and mood in

Carlos P. Romulo’s “I am a Filipino”. The analysis unit will be

clause, a syntactic construction containing a subject and

predicate and forming part of a sentence or constituting a whole

simple sentence. (www.dictionary.reference.com).

IDEATIONAL

INTERPERSONAL

TEXTUAL

PERSONAL PRONOUNSubjective Form

MODALITYModal Auxiliaries

MOODDeclarative

InterrogativeImperative

Analysis of Data:

Personal Pronouns:

The researcher identified personal pronouns used in the

article. Thirty five main clauses were used for investigation.

Personal Pronouns used as subject in 35 clauses:

Table 1. Frequency of Pronouns used as subject in the clauses

Personal Pronouns Frequency

I 26

You 0

He 1

She 0

It 5

We 0

You 0

They 3

Total 35

Table 1 shows the predominance of personal pronouns as

subject, specifically I. It is also noticeable that the second

person you are not found in any clauses. The singular third

person he is used referring to Manuel L. Quezon in paragraph 6

just to give emphasis to his power as the President of the

Philippines. He is used only once in the entire article

indicating that the matter in the speech requires public

attention. The third person they is used in paragraph 3 “This is

the land they sought and found.”, paragraph 11 “they saw the

contours of this land”, paragraph 12 “they go to labor in the

fields” with which I think establishes connections with the three

paragraphs by mentioning the word land and fields and looked

parallel to each other referring to the same meaning.

The prominent use of I in the 26 clauses create parallel

connections to the entire article, in clause 1, 7, 14, 15, 25,

and 34 “I am” shows prevalent parallelism for each pattern

appears twice or more in the article including “I shall” that

appears in clause 24, 28, 31, 33, and 35. The repeated occurrence

of “I am” and “I shall” in the salient subject position

highlights the writer’s intention distancing him using “I” to

show his authority as the speaker.

2. Modal Auxiliaries

Like personal pronouns, the general system of modality

reflects what Halliday (1994) calls the “interpersonal”

metafunction of language, which is one of three metafunctions he

sees as co-existing in linguistic usage.

Modality is intended to reflect the interpersonal function,

in which language mediates between people.

Table 2. Frequency of Modal Auxiliaries used in the clauses

Modal

Auxiliaries

ca

n

may coul

d

migh

t

Wi

ll

woul

d

sha

ll

shou

ld

must Other

s

Frequency 1 1 0 0 0 0 10 0 2 0

Paragraph 1 I am a Filipino emphasizes:

(1) As such I must prove equal to a twofold task, the task of meeting my

responsibility to the past, and the task of performing my obligation to the future.

Paragraph 8 I am a Filipino emphasizes:

(2) But I also know that the East must awake from its centuried sleep…

The two sentences above expressed the speaker’s eagerness in

establishing connections to the audience by giving emphasis to

act and do something, having firm intention to do something in

the future.

Aside from must, shall is the most predominant in the speech

which appeared in at least five paragraphs.

(3) Paragraph 7 – it shall grow and flower and bear fruit

again

(4) Paragraph 10 – I shall not rest until my land and my

people shall have been blessed by these…

(5) Paragraph 11 – What pledge shall I give

(6) Paragraph 11 – I shall give the pledge…

(7) Paragraph 11 – it shall be compounded of the joyous

cries…

(8) Paragraph 12 – I shall weave the mighty fabric of my

pledge.

(9) Paragraph 12 – I shall make the pattern of my pledge

(10) Paragraph 13 – I shall not rest until freedom shall

have been added…

Paragraph 7, 10, 11, 12, and 13 contained the modal shall,

though shall is use frequently in promises and voluntary actions,

it is likely to appear in speeches because prominent people

always make such promise to the people but then also similar to

high-valued must it also indicates future action.

The modal shall is used positively all throughout Carlos P.

Romulo’s I am a Filipino which establish the reader-writer-

listener relationship in two ways. First, the predominance of

the median-valued shall with the high valued must, shows the

writer’s relatively high regard to the idea or plan he is making

and the promise he compels to involve the reader in carrying out

the action.

3. Mood, similar to modal auxiliaries and personal pronouns, give

connections to the relationship of reader and writer. Primary

speech functions of offer, command, statement, and question are

assumed in communicative language. Declarative clauses are

related closely to statement, interrogative with question, and

imperative with command (Halliday, 1994, pp. 69-74). Since the

listener is to give a response, the speaker should carefully

select the language appropriateness thus employing declarative,

interrogative, and imperative clauses to express speech

intentions. The three moods are investigated in the thirty one

main clauses in the article.

Among the 35 main clauses, 34 are in declarative form and

only 1 is in interrogative form. In the researcher analysis of

the article, the declarative mood state the writer’s opinion,

describe things and events while interrogative raise questions

and solicits information by asking. The absence of imperative

justified the writer’s power by convincing the listener or the

reader without making requests or employing a command that he can

perform task.

The features in the mood establish writer-reader-listener

relationship with the following:

1. In the 34 main clauses in declarative form the writer serve

as an information-giver by describing the Filipino people

with him as an example. The writer opinions and observation

is revealed in the entire article by talking to the audience

in a very subtle and conversational manner.

2. In paragraph 11, clause 26 is the only sentence that appear

to be interrogative or in question form when he uttered:

“What pledge shall I give that I may prove worthy of my inheritance?”

With this he is trying to ask himself about what he can

pledge after all the sacrifices made by other Filipinos who

spare their lives for our freedom and triumph, the battle

cries that have resounded in every field of combat and the

voices of people singing the Philippine National Anthem.

This interrogative statement in one way or another does not

affect the validity of the statement made, the firmness of

the writers belief was answered in his preceding statement

thus doubt and question from the reader was omitted.

3. The writer demonstrates his status of being a diplomat,

statesman, journalist and author which is very clear in his

statements in “I am a Filipino” by using predominantly

declarative mood presenting himself as information-giver.

The presence of one interrogative statement only highlights

the succeeding statement made and gives emphasis to it.

Conclusion:

The research investigates on how the interpersonal function

is realized through the use of personal pronouns, modal

auxiliaries and mood in Carlos P. Romulo’s article “I am a

Filipino”. The research findings show that the writer

expresses the intention of distancing him from the reader by

using the singular first person I to stress his official duty

as the Secretary General of the United Nation. Modal

auxiliaries help the writer to make the article inspiring and

help indicate his powerful status in the relationship. The

declarative mood reinforces the writer’s certainty, status and

authority as diplomat. In this manner he establishes

connections with the reader using these devices.

Interrogative mood that appears in clause 26-27 does not

affect in one way or the certainty of the article.

References

Yin K. (2012). Interpersonal Function Analysis of Obama’s “The Partnership We Need”

De La Salle University Manila

Jeffries L. & McIntyre D. (2010) Stylistics, Cambridge University

Press, New York

Crystal D. (1969) Refining Stylistics Discourse Categories,

Department of Linguistics,

University of Wales Bangor

Mugair K.S. (April 2013) A Stylistic Analysis of I have A Dream,

International Journal

Of English and Education Volume 2 Issue 2

www.englishpage.com Shall

www.ask.com Must Modal

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FILIPINO#sthash.gk00igX7.dpuf

APPENDIX

I AM A FILIPINO(Carlos P. Romulo (former Secretary-General of the United Nations))

I am a Filipino - inheritor of a glorious past, hostage to the

uncertain future. As such I must prove equal to a two-fold task-

the task of meeting my responsibility to the past, and the task

of performing my obligation to the future. I sprung from a hardy

race - child of many generations removed of ancient Malayan

pioneers. Across the centuries, the memory comes rushing back to

me: of brown-skinned men putting out to sea in ships that were as

frail as their hearts were stout. Over the sea I see them come,

borne upon the billowing wave and the whistling wind, carried

upon the mighty swell of hope- hope in the free abundance of new

land that was to be their home and their children's forever.

This is the land they sought and found. Every inch of shore that

their eyes first set upon, every hill and mountain that beckoned

to them with a green and purple invitation, every mile of rolling

plain that their view encompassed, every river and lake that

promise a plentiful living and the fruitfulness of commerce, is a

hollowed spot to me.

By the strength of their hearts and hands, by every right of law,

human and divine, this land and all the appurtenances thereof -

the black and fertile soil, the seas and lakes and rivers teeming

with fish, the forests with their inexhaustible wealth in wild

life and timber, the mountains with their bowels swollen with

minerals - the whole of this rich and happy land has been, for

centuries without number, the land of my fathers. This land I

received in trust from them and in trust will pass it to my

children, and so on until the world no more.

I am a Filipino. In my blood runs the immortal seed of heroes -

seed that flowered down the centuries in deeds of courage and

defiance. In my veins yet pulses the same hot blood that sent

Lapulapu to battle against the alien foe that drove Diego Silang

and Dagohoy into rebellion against the foreign oppressor.

That seed is immortal. It is the self-same seed that flowered in

the heart of Jose Rizal that morning in Bagumbayan when a volley

of shots put an end to all that was mortal of him and made his

spirit deathless forever; the same that flowered in the hearts of

Bonifacio in Balintawak, of Gergorio del Pilar at Tirad Pass, of

Antonio Luna at Calumpit; that bloomed in flowers of frustration

in the sad heart of Emilio Aguinaldo at Palanan, and yet burst

fourth royally again in the proud heart of Manuel L. Quezon when

he stood at last on the threshold of ancient Malacanang Palace,

in the symbolic act of possession and racial vindication.

The seed I bear within me is an immortal seed. It is the mark of

my manhood, the symbol of dignity as a human being. Like the

seeds that were once buried in the tomb of Tutankhamen many

thousand years ago, it shall grow and flower and bear fruit

again. It is the insigne of my race, and my generation is but a

stage in the unending search of my people for freedom and

happiness.

I am a Filipino, child of the marriage of the East and the West.

The East, with its languor and mysticism, its passivity and

endurance, was my mother, and my sire was the West that came

thundering across the seas with the Cross and Sword and the

Machine. I am of the East, an eager participant in its struggles

for liberation from the imperialist yoke. But I also know that

the East must awake from its centuried sleep, shape of the

lethargy that has bound his limbs, and start moving where destiny

awaits.

For, I, too, am of the West, and the vigorous peoples of the West

have destroyed forever the peace and quiet that once were ours. I

can no longer live, being apart from those world now trembles to

the roar of bomb and cannon shot. For no man and no nation is an

island, but a part of the main, there is no longer any East and

West - only individuals and nations making those momentous

choices that are hinges upon which history resolves.

At the vanguard of progress in this part of the world I stand - a

forlorn figure in the eyes of some, but not one defeated and

lost. For through the thick, interlacing branches of habit and

custom above me I have seen the light of the sun, and I know that

it is good. I have seen the light of justice and equality and

freedom and my heart has been lifted by the vision of democracy,

and I shall not rest until my land and my people shall have been

blessed by these, beyond the power of any man or nation to

subvert or destroy.

I am a Filipino, and this is my inheritance. What pledge shall I

give that I may prove worthy of my inheritance? I shall give the

pledge that has come ringing down the corridors of the centuries,

and it shall be compounded of the joyous cries of my Malayan

forebears when they first saw the contours of this land loom

before their eyes, of the battle cries that have resounded in

every field of combat from Mactan to Tirad pass, of the voices of

my people when they sing:

Land of the Morning,Child of the sun returning, Ne'er shall invadersTrample thy sacred

shore.

Out of the lush green of these seven thousand isles, out of the

heartstrings of sixteen million people all vibrating to one song,

I shall weave the mighty fabric of my pledge. Out of the songs of

the farmers at sunrise when they go to labor in the fields; out

of the sweat of the hard-bitten pioneers in Mal-ig and Koronadal;

out of the silent endurance of stevedores at the piers and the

ominous grumbling of peasants Pampanga; out of the first cries of

babies newly born and the lullabies that mothers sing; out of the

crashing of gears and the whine of turbines in the factories; out

of the crunch of ploughs upturning the earth; out of the

limitless patience of teachers in the classrooms and doctors in

the clinics; out of the tramp of soldiers marching, I shall make

the pattern of my pledge:

"I am a Filipino born of freedom and I shall not rest until freedom shall have been

added unto my inheritance - for myself and my children's children - forever.

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