The Argument For Particles Of Phrasal Verbs As More Central In The Verbal Group

Martin & Rose (2007: 98):

More central on the other hand are Particles in prepositional verbs, which comprise a single lexical item:

These can often be paraphrased with a simple verb, e.g. radiate, beware, research, abuse.

Blogger Comments:

To be clear, the criterion for nuclearity in this instance is lexical, rather than syntagmatic (grammatical), as for some of the previous instances. The argument here is that the particle of a phrasal verb is more central to the verbal group because the entire phrasal verb can be paraphrased as simple verbs.

The problem here is that, even ignoring the fact that 'particle' is a class of form, not a function, in SFL theory, such particles, whether prepositions or adverbs, are not constituents of the verbal group.  Again, Martin & Rose have mistaken a clause rank relation (Predicator^Adjunct) for a group rank relation (Event^Particle).

Verbal groups realise the clause structure Finite + Predicator (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 362), whereas the particle of a phrasal verb, as preposition group or adverbial group, realises the clause function Adjunct; Halliday & Matthiessen (2014: 417):

 

Cf.

beam	out
Predicator	Adjunct

look	out
Predicator	Adjunct

look	up
Predicator	Adjunct

scream	at
Predicator	Adjunct