Christian Matthiessen formulated lexicogrammatical cartography as a systematic framework for mapping the grammatical systems of English

In his seminal 1995 work, Lexicogrammatical Cartography, Matthiessen established a systemic functional linguistics (SFL) framework to analyze grammar from a multi-dimensional perspective. This 700-page study treats language not as a static set of rules, but as a dynamic resource for making meaning. By mapping grammatical systems, SFL allows researchers to analyze how language functions in social contexts, tracking how choices within a lexicogrammar realize specific interpersonal, ideational, and textual meanings.