Literature Review Functional Linguistic Approach: Analysis of Transitivity, Lexical Metaphors, and Textual Meaning in Multimodal Discourse

Abstract

This literature review examines how Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) is applied to analyze meaning-making in multimodal discourse, focusing on transitivity, lexical metaphor, and textual meaning. Using a qualitative analytical–critical approach, the study reviews scholarly works from journals, books, theses, and conference papers to identify patterns in SFL-based analyses across cultural, political, educational, and public health contexts. The findings show that material processes dominate transitivity analyses, reflecting action-oriented discourse, while mental and relational processes express thought, perception, and identity. Lexical metaphors function as key semiotic strategies that clarify abstract ideas, evoke emotional responses, and enhance persuasion, often reinforced through visual elements. Textual meaning is shaped by theme–rheme structures that support coherence and emphasis. The review also highlights the role of gestures, facial expressions, layout, color, and camera framing as essential non-verbal modes that interact with language to create richer meanings. Overall, SFL provides strong analytical tools for understanding how multimodal texts shape interpretation and audience perception.