“We should not, perhaps, take it for granted that a description in terms of a formalised model, which has certain properties lacking in those derived from models of another kind, will necessarily be the best description for all of the very diverse purposes for which the descriptions of languages are needed. In assessing the value of a description, it is reasonable to ask whether it has proved useful for the purposes for which it was intended.”

—  Michael Halliday

Source: 1950s–1960s, The Linguistic Sciences and Language Teaching, 1964, p. 13. cited in: David Brazil (1995) A Grammar of Speech. p. 9.

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Michael Halliday23
Australian linguist 1925–2018

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