David G. Butt

Macquarie University Associate Professor

  • (Honorary since 2021) Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics

My research is organised around textual evidence, in particular grammatical evidence, in relation to social, institutional, literary, medical and legal contexts. A feature of my interest is latent patterning in text: namely, the consistencies in speech and writing which are consequential for those involved in an exchange, but which are difficult to make explicit in a public forum. Examples of this research include work in the fields of psychotherapy in psychiatry; interaction in surgical teams; patterning in various works of Shakespeare and other poets; and changes in forms of scientific discourse. This direction of research brings me into contact with many different theorists, and the result has been research on the history of theories – theories of language change, literature, and beyond to adaptation and ‘robustness’ in institutional systems. Following the work of my own teachers in Systemic Functional Linguistics, I have devised practical network representations to capture salient differences between social contexts.

 Over decades now, I have supervised more than 50 scholars to PhDs with topics in a wide spectrum of cultural and clinical domains: Cohesion and the Conversational Model of psychotherapy (through Westmead hospital); Vygotsky’s developmental theories; strategies and contexts that encourage innovative thinking between doctoral researchers; Coelho’s “The Alchemist” in 3 languages; Chinese migrant writing in English, translated back to Chinese; A.N. Whitehead’s relevance to linguistics; and evidence of political bias in the ‘common destiny’ debates around the future of New Caledonia.

 My research has long been preoccupied with the grammatical construction of the ‘self’ – the way identifying expressions create the ME/I distinction that is central in the work of the pre-eminent psychologist, William James. And this and related matters have been the topics of my recent presentations in Australia and overseas (including presentations on Owl psychevisual videos).

 Since 1978, I have taught large groups of University students in Australia, at the National University of Singapore (1985-88), and in short visits across many countries – viz. China; India; Canada; Singapore; Indonesia; Japan,UK, …  


Journal Articles

  • Butt, D. G., Moore, A. R., Henderson‑Brooks, C., & Khoo, K. (2024). Grammar, cohesion and the co‑ordination of the “self” in a current psychotherapeutic technique. Journal of World Languages, 10(1), 102‑148. Macquarie University

  • Butt, D. G., Moore, A. R., Wu, C., & Cartmill, J. (2021). The pragmatism of drawing context networks: social hierarchy and social distance as dimensions of Tenor. Functions of Language, 28(3), 260‑290. Macquarie University

  • Butt, D. G. (2019). Context and text in scientific disciplines of English: a social semiotic perspective.Language, Context and Text, 1(1), 4‑38.Macquarie University

Books / Textbooks

  • Butt, D., Fahey, R., Feez, S., Spinks, S., & Yallop, C. (2000). Using Functional Grammar. National Centre of English Language Teaching & Research, Macquarie University, Sydney. Macquarie University

  • Butt, D., Fahey, R., Feez, S., & Spinks, S. (2012). Using Functional Grammar: An Explorer’s Guide. Palgrave Macmillan, South Yarra, Vic.Macquarie University

Book Chapters

  • Butt, D. G., & Lukin, A. (2024). Navigating in semiological space: theory and Matthiessonian cartography, from typology to register and artificial intelligence. In Theorizing and Applying Systemic Functional Linguistics: Developments by Christian M.I.M. Matthiessen (Wang, B. & Ma, Y., Eds.), Routledge Studies in Linguistics No. 43. Routledge, Taylor & Francis. pp. 3‑38. Macquarie University

  • Lukin, A., & Butt, D. (2023). Neurosemiotics and ideology: a linguistic view. In The Routledge Handbook of Semiosis and the Brain (García, A. M. & Ibañez, A., Eds.), Routledge Handbooks in Linguistics. pp. 294‑309.Macquarie University

Other Articles (Medical / Interdisciplinary Contexts)

(From Europe PMC / ORCID)

  • Brown, R. F.; Butow, P. N.; Butt, D. G.; Moore, A. R.; Tattersall, M. H. (2004). Developing ethical strategies to assist oncologists in seeking informed consent to cancer clinical trials. Social Science & Medicine, 58(2), 379‑390. Europe PMC

  • Lobb, E. A.; Butow, P. N.; Moore, A.; Barratt, A.; Tucker, K.; Gaff, C.; Kirk, J.; Dudding, T.; Butt, D. (2006). Development of a communication aid to facilitate risk communication in consultations with unaffected women from high risk breast cancer families: a pilot study. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 15(5), 393‑405. Europe PMC

  • Moore, A.; Butt, D.; Ellis‑Clarke, J.; Cartmill, J. (2010). Linguistic analysis of verbal and non‑verbal communication in the operating room. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 80(12), 925‑929. Europe PMC