Nominalisation in English scientific discourse: A systemic functional description

This study examines the frequency and function of nominalisation in English scientific discourse (ESD) through an analysis of 33 texts in engineering, biology, medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, geography, history, physics, environmental science, business, and information technology.Nominalisation, that is, the transformation of verbs or adjectives, or other parts of speech into nouns or nominal groups, is a central feature of scientific writing and a key concept within Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL).Employing a corpus-based approach, this research investigates the role of nominalisation in condensing information, enhancing precision, and foregrounding key concepts across disciplinary boundaries.The findings reveal that nominalisation is pervasive in all texts, with significant variation in its density across disciplines.The highest concentrations are observed in fields such as medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, and business, reflecting the distinct communicative objectives and stylistic norms of these domains.Additionally, the study underscores the challenges nominalisation poses for second-language (L2) learners and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) speakers, highlighting its implications for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) pedagogy.The results suggest a need for targeted instructional strategies to enhance academic writing proficiency, particularly in teaching nominalisation as a critical feature of scientific discourse.