Martin and Bednarek address the need for innovative analyses of multi-modal discourse, identity and affiliation within functional linguistics. "New Discourse on Language" addresses the need for innovative analyses of multi-modal discourse, identity and affiliation within functional linguistics. The chapters in this volume are connected by their common underlying theoretical approach, Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), and by their focus on semantic variation (across modalities of communication and between speakers) as well as the negotiation of identity and affiliation.