Theme and Rheme 主位與述位（課堂PPT）

1、1The fourth class The first period & the second period Theme / Rheme (主位、述位)2The concept of Theme & RhemeAs we know, in the process of text production, the producers can only choose one single lexical item to put it into the sentence and then organize these respective sentences into a text.

2、Actually, what the theory of theme and rheme describes is just a speaker or writer choice made independently of the propositional (陳述的，主張的) content of the message. In other words, we can say it is a decision made by speaker or writer on how to organize the information, where to start, so to speak, i

3、n presenting the message.3* The concept of theme and rheme was first put forward by Mathesius(馬泰休斯), one of the founders of the Prague School(布拉格學派). 1）His purpose to propose theme and rheme lay in studying different roles played by different elements of sentences in language communication 4 2）He fo

4、und that the element in the front of the clause played a special role in the process of the communication and this special role was to serve as a starting point for what a speaker or writer wants to say.3) Mathesius called the element in the front of the clause “theme” while the rest part of the cla

5、use “rheme”.4) He pointed out that theme generally conveyed given information while rheme new.5The Prague schools terms of theme and rheme are accepted by the systemic-functional school(系統(tǒng)功能學派). Now, lets look at Hallidays viewpoint on theme & rheme.6The Theme is the element which serves as the

6、point of departure of the message; it is that with which the clause is concerned. The remainder of the message, the part in which the theme is developed, is called in Prague School terminology the Rheme. As a message structure, therefore, a clause consists of a theme accompanied by a rheme; and the

7、structure is expressed by the order-whatever is chosen as the theme is put first.7-Halliday 是從功能而不是從成分分布的角度對主位進行界定的。他認為：主位是信息（message）的起點（point of departure），是小句所關(guān)心的成分（the element with which the clause is concerned）。述位一般是句子的信息中心（information focus）所在，即 句 子 所 要 表 達 的 最 重 要 的 新 信 息 。8According to the d

8、egree of the complexity of the theme itself, Halliday divided themes into three categories, say, simple theme(單項主位), clause theme(句項主位), and multiple theme(復項主位).9Simple theme: refers to the theme of a clause consisting of just one structural element , with neither interpersonal nor textual theme. T

9、he structural element can be represented by nominal group, adverbial group or prepositional group, whose number may be only one or more than one.- 單項主位指的是那些只包含韓禮德所說的概念成分而不包括人際成分和語篇成分的主位。其表現(xiàn)形式為名詞詞組、副詞詞組或介詞短語。e.g.10(1)The man in black (T) laughed at me. (R)(2)Slowly and quietly, (T) he pushed the wind

10、ow open. (R)(3)From door to door (T) he wend his way. (R)112) A clause as the theme: refers to using the main clause or subordinate clause to serve as theme. -句項主位指小句充當主位，傳統(tǒng)語法所說的主從復合句中的主句和從句都可以成為主位。當主位由一個小句表示時，它本身內(nèi)部又可含有主位述位結(jié)構(gòu)。e.g. (1) Give that teapot away (T)/ if you dont like it. (R)(2) If you don

11、t like that teapot (T) / give it away. (R)(3) If winter (T) comes (R) (T) / can spring be far behind? (R)123）A multiple theme: refers to the theme consisting of not only structural element, but also textual element or interpersonal element. If all these three elements turn up in the same theme, the

12、sequence of the theme is, textual element-interpersonal element-structural element. -復項主位是由多種語義成分構(gòu)成的主位，它具有內(nèi)部結(jié)構(gòu)，可以進一步劃分為語篇主位（textual theme）、人際主位（interpersonal theme）、和話題主位（topical theme）（structural theme）。當三種主位同時并存時，其出現(xiàn)順序為：語篇主位人際主位話題主位。13-Textual theme includes the continuative elements (連續(xù)成分) like:

13、yes, no, well, oh, now; or the structural elements (結(jié)構(gòu)成分) like: yet, so, even if, however; or the conjunctive elements (連接成分) like: therefore, in other words, as far as that is concerned.-Interpersonal theme includes the modal elements (情態(tài)成分) like: certainly, to be frank, broadly speaking; or the fi

14、nite elements (一般疑問句中的限定成分) like does, do; or the vocative element (稱呼成分) like John, Mrs Jones, ladies and gentlemen.14-Structural element refers to the topical element (主題成分), which can also be called as topical theme (主題主位), and it is the last component of the multiple theme.e.g.15(1)Conversely (t

15、extual), possibly (interpersonal), females (topical theme) / felt more at ease responding to a non-specific female address.(2)On the other hand (textual) maybe (interpersonal) on a weekday (topical theme) / it would be less crowded.(3)Well (連接) but (結(jié)構(gòu)) then (連接) (textual) Ann (稱呼) surely (情態(tài)) would

16、nt(限定成分) (interpersonal) the best idea (topical theme) /be to join the group?16Besides, its worthy of pointing out that1)Interrogative:(1)YesNo e.g. Had (finite) + she (subject) (theme) / written about(2) wh-: wh-words serve as the theme2)Imperative: predicatore.g. Dont / touch that. Please dont / t

17、ouch that. Write / it down. 173)Exclamative: Wh-word + complement; wh-word + adv.e.g.(1) What neat writing / youve got!(2) How sweetly / she sings!Conclusion:1) Now, we get to know, in English, a clause is supposed to consist of two elements. One is theme, the other is rheme.182) Theme is important

18、because it is what the clause is about. On the one hand, it acts as the point of orientation by connecting back to previous stretches of text and hence maintaining a coherent point of view.On the other hand, it acts as the point of departure by connecting forward and thus contributing to the develop

19、ment of the latter stretches.3) Rheme is also important because it is what the speaker says about the theme. It is the important element in the structure of a clause because it carries the very new information the speaker wants to convey to the hearer. Besides, it fulfills the communicative purpose

20、of the utterance.19* The third & the fourth period* Thematic progression & Patterns of thematic progression(主位推進與主位推進模式主位推進與主位推進模式)20Thematic Progression(1)As we know, every isolated clause will have its own thematic structure and when a certain clause exists exclusively, its theme and rheme

21、 will be definite and unchangeable.21(2)However, once entering the level of the text, we will find that in the process of the information progression of the whole text, theme and rheme, rheme and rheme, and even theme and rheme between respective clauses tend to have a continuous connection and vari

22、ation according to some regular pattern.22(3)Because most of the texts are made up of no less than one single clause, only through the continuous link and change among theme and rheme, can the process of the information flow of the whole text be progressed.23(4)Just due to this continuous progressio

23、n of themes in individual clauses, the whole text can be spread out gradually and hence be developed into a whole text capable of expressing some complete meaning. We call this sort of link and change Thematic Progression.24-每一個句子都有自己的主位結(jié)構(gòu)。當某個句子單獨存在時，它的主位和述位是已確定的，不再變化的。正因為沒有上下文，它的主位和述位又是孤立的，沒有發(fā)展的絕大多

24、數(shù)語篇都是由兩個或兩個以上的句子構(gòu)成的。前后句子的主位和主位，述位和述位，主位和述位之間就會發(fā)生某種聯(lián)系和變化，這種聯(lián)系和變化就叫主位推進（thematic progression）。隨著各句主位的向前推動，整個語篇逐步展開，直至形成一個能表達某一完整意義的整體。25 * Patterns of thematic progression* When constructing a certain text, the speaker or writer does not arrange their theme and rheme randomly. In fact, the arrangement

25、s of theme and rheme always follow some patterns. And this pattern is called patterns of thematic progression.* The commonest patterns of patterns of thematic progression are as follows.26 Constant Theme Pattern (主位同一型、平行型、放射型)Under this pattern, every clause shares the same theme, different rhemes.

26、 By means of choosing the same theme as the same starting point, the speaker or writer draws forth different rhemes to describe what the text is about at that point from different perspectives.(幾個句子的主位相同，述位各不相同。)e.g.27 My brother (T1) is in Japan (R1). He(T2=T1) has been there for two years (R2). He

27、 (T3=T1) is an engineer (R3). He (T4=T1) is working for a big company (R4). T1R1 T2(=T1)R2 . . . Tn(=T1)Rn28(2) Constant Rheme Pattern (述位同一型、集中型、聚合型)Under this pattern, the themes in individual clauses are different; these different themes all end up in the same rheme. (幾個句子的主位各不相同，但述位一致。)e.g. John

28、 (T1) likes football (R1). Jim (T2) likes football (R2=R1). Every boy students in my class (T3) like football (R3=R1). T1R1 T2R2(=R1) . . . TnRn(=R1)29(3)Linear Theme Pattern (延續(xù)型、階梯型)Under this pattern, the rheme or one part of the rheme in the former sentence becomes the theme for the next clause.

29、(前一句的述位或述位的一部分成為后一句的主位。)e.g. We (T1) visited the Great Wall (R1). The Great Wall (T2=R1) is in the northern part of China (R2). China (T3=R2) has witnessed many changes since the Great Wall was built (R3). T1R1 T2(=R1)R2 . . . Tn(=Rn-1)Rn30(4)Cross Theme Pattern (交叉型)Under this pattern, the theme in

30、 the first sentence will become the rheme in the second one. And then the theme in the second sentence will become the rheme in the third one, and so on.(前一句的主位是后一句的述位。)31 The play (T1) was interesting (R1), but I (T2) didnt enjoy it (R2=T1). A young man and a young woman (T3) troubled me (R3=T2). I (T4) turned round and looked at them (R4=T3), but they (T5) didnt pay any attention to me (R5=T4). T1R1 T2R2 . . T n R n ( = Tn 1 )32(5)Split Rheme Pattern (述位分裂型)Under this pattern, the rheme in the previous sentence is spilt into several different themes for the follo