Tagmemic Hierarchy: Function + Class Across Levels
April 10, 2025•501 words
Tagmemic Hierarchy: Function + Class Across Levels
In Tagmemic theory, a tagmeme is the smallest functional unit of grammar, defined by a pairing of:
- Function (the slot/role)
- Class (the phrase, clause, or unit that fills it)
This structure scales across levels: phrase, clause, and discourse.
1. Phrase-Level Tagmemes
| Syntactic Function | Phrase Type (Class) | Tagmeme | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Noun Phrase (NP) | Subject–NP | [The cat] sleeps. |
| Predicate | Verb Phrase (VP) | Predicate–VP | The cat [sleeps quietly]. |
| Object | Noun Phrase (NP) | Object–NP | She found [the keys]. |
| Complement | Adjective Phrase (AdjP) | Complement–AdjP | She is [very happy]. |
| Modifier | Adjective Phrase (AdjP) | Modifier–AdjP | The [big red] dog barked. |
| Manner | Adverb Phrase (AdvP) | Manner–AdvP | He ran [very quickly]. |
| Temporal Adjunct | Prepositional Phrase (PP) | Temporal–PP | She left [after lunch]. |
| Locative Adjunct | Prepositional Phrase (PP) | Locative–PP | The book is [on the table]. |
| Direction | Prepositional Phrase (PP) | Direction–PP | They went [into the house]. |
| Goal | Noun Phrase (NP) | Goal–NP | He gave the book to [the child]. |
| Instrument | Prepositional Phrase (PP) | Instrument–PP | She cut it [with a knife]. |
| Cause | Prepositional Phrase (PP) | Cause–PP | He cried [because of the pain]. |
2. Clause-Level Tagmemes
| Syntactic Function | Clause Type (Class) | Tagmeme | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topic | Noun Clause (NP Clause) | Topic–Clause | [What she said] surprised me. |
| Comment | Verb Clause | Comment–Clause | What she said [surprised me]. |
| Conditional | Adverbial Clause | Conditional–Clause | [If it rains], we'll cancel the trip. |
| Result | Adverbial Clause | Result–Clause | He was tired, [so he slept early]. |
| Reason | Adverbial Clause | Reason–Clause | She left early [because she was ill]. |
| Purpose | Infinitival Clause | Purpose–Clause | He studies [to pass the exam]. |
| Concession | Adverbial Clause | Concession–Clause | [Although it was cold], she went out. |
3. Discourse-Level Tagmemes
| Discourse Function | Unit Type (Class) | Tagmeme | Example Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topic Introduction | Sentence/Paragraph | Topic–Sentence | "Let’s talk about renewable energy." |
| Elaboration | Paragraph/Clause | Elaboration–Paragraph | Follows a topic sentence with supporting info |
| Contrast | Paragraph/Clause | Contrast–Clause | "However, some disagree with that idea." |
| Transition | Sentence/Connector | Transition–Sentence | "On the other hand,..." |
| Closure | Sentence/Paragraph | Closure–Sentence | "In conclusion, we must act now." |
Summary of Tagmeme Hierarchy
- Phrase-Level: NP, VP, AdjP, PP, AdvP
- Clause-Level: Clausal tagmemes (Topic, Conditional, etc.)
- Discourse-Level: Paragraph/Sentence-level functions
Each level follows the same Function + Class structure for modular, layered grammatical analysis.