Misunderstanding Their Own Model Of Nuclear Relations

Martin & Rose (2007: 100):

In nuclear terms, classes and parts of things are central, qualities of things are nuclear, and locations are peripheral.

Blogger Comments:

[1] To be clear, on the authors' model of nuclear relations, the central elements of the clause are the Process and Range (process/class/part).  Here Martin & Rose claim that classes and 'parts of things' are central, independent of their function in grammatical units. The problem with this is that classes and 'parts of things' can be realised in other functions as well, such as:

• Medium (nuclear): Pontiacs and whitewall tyres are interesting to him
• Agent (marginal): Pontiacs and whitewall tyres interest him
• Matter (peripheral): he talked non-stop about Pontiacs and whitewall tyres

This invalidates the authors' unsupported claim that all classes and 'parts of things' are central.

[2] To be clear, on the authors' model of nuclear relations, the nuclear element of the nominal group is the Epithet.  Here Martin & Rose claim that 'qualities of things' are nuclear, independent of their function in grammatical units. The problem with this is that qualities can be realised in other functions as well, such as:

• Qualifier (peripheral): the colour green
• Classifier (central): heavy metal

This invalidates the authors' unsupported claim that all 'qualities of things' are nuclear.

[3] To be clear, on the authors' model of nuclear relations, the peripheral element of the clause is the circumstance.  Here Martin & Rose claim that locations are peripheral, independent of their function in grammatical units.  The problem with this is that locations can be realised in other functions as well, such as:

• Medium (nuclear): Sydney is being ruined 
• Agent (marginal): Sydney disappointed him

This invalidates the authors' unsupported claim that all locations are peripheral.