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Mackenzie (2020) is a defense of the position adopted by the architects of the standard model of Functional Discourse Grammar (FDG): namely that the model cannot (and even could never) be considered a 'grammar of discourse'. The article examines the arguments given for rejecting the 'discourse' dimension from the FDG model, proposes an independent account of discourse, and suggests a means of dovetailing it within a model of the wider utterance context. On the one hand, the author's arguments are in the main valid: for 'discourse', as characterized in section 3, is not a formal, clearly delineated object amenable to systematic treatment within a grammatical model of a given language. Yet on the other, it is arguable that even the presence of the term 'discourse' in the model's name is not in fine justified. Notwithstanding, in order to include the 'discourse dimension' (section 3), it is argued that the Core FDG model could be integrated with a broader model of the utterance context involved. This would enable it to account more adequately, for example, for the ways in which indexical reference, the lexicon and adjectival modification operate in actual texts. In turn, it would influence certain of the other characterizations independently assigned within the Core model. • For its architects , Functional Discourse Grammar could never be a discourse grammar. • For discourse is not amenable to systematic treatment within a formal grammar model. • Yet in fact even the term 'discourse' in the model's name is not fully justified. • A solution: complement the model with one dealing with the broader context of use. • This in turn will impact on certain of the characterizations yielded by the Core model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural disasters, such as what are known in English as 'floods' and 'wildfires', are increasingly a topic of concern due to the climate emergency, and their vocabulary and public discourses hold much to be explored through linguistics. This article inaugurates the examination of public discourse about extreme weather events through semantically-enhanced discourse studies, an approach which is based on Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) and developed herein. Taking the example of floods in the particular geographic, cultural and historical environment of the Australian state of Queensland in 2011, this transtextual study draws on a public inquiry into the event and English as spoken in Australia, more broadly, along with media reports, and literature from humanities and social sciences. Five case studies of vocabulary and discourse patterns are presented to cast cultural and semantic spotlights on the public discourses. It is demonstrated that this approach can provide high resolution analysis of discourse and bring out cultural and historical factors at play in extreme weather language thereby contributing to disaster linguistics, climate change semantics and public discourse studies. • The meanings of words for natural disasters and extreme weather events, like flood , are culturally constructed. • Discourse of 2011 Queensland floods reveal geographic, cultural and historical aspects of English spoken in Australia. • Semantically-enhanced discourse studies is a novel method of public discourse studies based on NSM approach. • Semantically-enhanced discourse studies can provide high resolution analysis of vocabulary and discourse patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]