Developing the French academic periodical in the early 18th century: a systemic functional linguistics perspective

Abstract This article employs systemic functional linguistics to conduct a comparative analysis of the linguistic features of two pioneering French academic periodicals: the Journal des Sçavans (first published in 1665) and its principal rival, the Journal de Trévoux (first published in 1701). Both journals were mainly devoted to book reviews. Religion is the most frequently treated subject in both periodicals, though this is much more the case in the Journal de Trévoux than in the Journal des Sçavans . An analysis of the process types of finite verbs, categories of themes, and the process types of nominalized processes in selected items dealing with religious questions shows that the Journal de Trévoux favours actions and events and the people involved, while the Journal des Sçavans prefers argumentation and communication. The Journal des Sçavans thus adopts a more intellectual stance than its younger rival. Moreover, these differences become increasingly pronounced over the period 1701 to 1711.