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THEME AND RHEME

THEME AND RHEME In English an item has thematic status by putting it first. The Theme is the element which serves as a point of departure of the message; it is that which locates and orients the clause within the context. The remainder of the message is called Rheme.

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THEME AND RHEME

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  1. THEME AND RHEME • In English an item has thematic status by putting it first. The Theme is the element which serves as a point of departure of the message; it is that which locates and orients the clause within the context. The remainder of the message is called Rheme. • the duke + has given my aunt the teapot • My aunt + has been given that teapot by the duke • that teapot + the duke has given to my aunt • THEME RHEME

  2. THEME AND RHEME • Themes are sometimes announced explicitly, by means of some expression, such as: as for…, with regard to… , about.... This has the effect of focusing the Theme. • As to that teapot, + my aunt was given it by the duke • Compare: • As for the Pope Fransis himself, + he is known to be very keen on sport • The Theme is picked up by an appropriate pronoun

  3. M.A.K.Halliday(1985), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Whatis the elementthatistypicallychosenasTheme in an English clause? Itdepends on the choiceof mood. • Theme in declarativeclauses: • Unmarked: Themeconflateswith the Subject • NP: pronounas Head:Subject • She + wentto the baker’s • B) NP: common or propernounas Head: Subject • A wiseoldrobin + lived in anoak • Mary + had a little bicycle • Nominalization: Subject • What I want + is a propercupof tea

  4. M.A.K.Halliday(1985), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme in declarativeclauses: • marked: Themedoesnotconflatewith the Subject. Itisotherthan the subject • Adverbphrase: Adjunct: • Luckily + hespokeverygood English • Only once + hewentto the UK • B) PrepositionPhrase: Adjunct: • On Suturdaynight+shelostherpurse

  5. M.A.K.Halliday(1985), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme in declarativeclauses: • marked: Themedoesnotconflatewith the Subject. Itisotherthan the subject • C) NP:common or propernounas Head: Complement • A pudding + the King didmake • Silvie + you’re particularlyfondof • D) NP: pronounas Head: Complement • This + theyshouldrefuse • E) Nominalization: Complement • Whattheycouldnoteatthat night + the Queen nextmorningfried

  6. M.A.K.Halliday(1985), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme in declarativeclauses: • marked: Themedoesnotconflatewith the Subject. Itisotherthan the subject • F) CleftsentencesbeginningwithIt • [It + was Rush] [whoscored the goal]. • G)Pseudo cleftsentencesbeginningwithWhat • [What the dukegavetomyaunt] + [wasthatteapot ]

  7. M.A.K.Halliday(1985), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme in exclamativeclauses: subcategoryofdeclarativeclauses • unmarked: Themedoesnotconflatewith the Subject. Thesetypicallyhaveanexclamatory WH- elementasTheme. • Howdreadful + shesounds • What a self-opinionatedegomaniac + thatguyis • THEME RHEME

  8. M.A.K.Halliday(1985), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme in interrogative clauses: • unmarked: yes/no, POLARITY: Themeis the finite verbaloperator, whichis put first: • Couldyou + eat a wholepacketofbiscuits • Hashe + got the car back by the way? • Didyou + sleep ok? • THEME RHEME

  9. M.A.K.Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme in interrogative clauses: • unmarked: WH- element first, : ThemeisWh-operator, no matterwhatotherfunctionithas in the mood structureof the clause (Subject, Adjunt, Complement): • Who+wants a glassofredwhine? • Where + didyougetthatfrom? • Howmanyhours+didyouwant? • Why+washeopposedtocoming in? • THEME RHEME • The meaningis “I wantyoutotell me the person, thing , time, manner, etc.”

  10. M.A.K.Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme in interrogative clauses: • unmarked: WH- element first, : ThemeisWh-operator, no matterwhatotherfunctionithas in the mood structureof the clause (Subject, Adjunt, Complement): • Who+wants a glassofredwhine? • Where + didyougetthatfrom? • Howmanyhours+didyouwant? • Why+washeopposedtocoming in? • THEME RHEME • The meaningis “I wantyoutotell me the person, thing, time, manner, etc”

  11. M.A.K.Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme in interrogative clausesyes/no: • marked: • Good + isit? • “Death by water” + do youremememberthatpassage in the WasteLand?[Eliot]

  12. M.A.K.Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme in imperative clauses: unmarked: Predicator (verb) as THEME. • The basicmessageiseither: “I wantyouto do something”[singular] or “I want (you and me) to do something [plural]. • First tipe: • Turn + it down (singular: you) • Don’t do + that • Secondtype: • Let’s + allthinkaboutfor a moment (plural: you and me) • Don’t let’s + quarrelaboutit

  13. M.A.K.Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme in imperative clauses: marked: Subjectas THEME. • The basicmessageiseither: “I wantyouto do something” or “I want (you and me) to do something. • You + keepquiet (unmarked:keepquiet) • Don’t you + arguewith me

  14. M.A.K.Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • sum up of UNMARKED Theme. Whenotherelementcomes first, itconstitutes a ‘marked’ choice. • MOOD ofclauseTypicalunmarkedTheme • DeclarativenominalgroupfunctioningasSubject • Interrogative: yes/no first word (finite operator) ofverbalgroup + NP asSubject • Interrogative: Wh- NP, AdvP, PP functioningas interrogative (Wh-) element • Imperative: youVP functioningasPredicator, plus preceedingdon’t if negative • Imperative:you and me let’s plus preceedingdon’tif negative • Exclamative: NP, or AdvPfunctioningasexclamative (Wh-) element

  15. M.A.K.Halliday and Matthiessen (2004), An IntroductiontoFunctionalGrammar • Theme and Rheme, Given and New • In unmarkedsentencesthereis a closesemantic relation between the system of INFORMATION and the system of THEME. • Themefallswithin the Given and New fallswithin the Rheme • Julia + phonedus • Theme + Rheme • Given New • Itwas Julia + whophonedus • Theme + Rheme • New + Given

  16. The syntactic flexibility of the Italian language and its different thematic organization enables such constructions: Example: È arrivato il Re! È arrivato il Re! In English: *Has arrived the King Is ungrammatical.

  17. The King is here ! The King is here! • The thematic organization of Italian may push the tranlsator to reject the congruent syntax of the following: • Example: • The King is here! The King is here! • and opt for a presentative construction with subject shiftes to the right: • Here is the King! Here is the King!

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