Theme and Rheme 主位与述位（课堂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 (陈述的，主张的) 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(马泰休斯), one of the founders of the Prague School(布拉格学派). 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(系统功能学派). 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 是从功能而不是从成分分布的角度对主位进行界定的。他认为：主位是信息（message）的起点（point of departure），是小句所关心的成分（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 达 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(单项主位), clause theme(句项主位), and multiple theme(复项主位).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.- 单项主位指的是那些只包含韩礼德所说的概念成分而不包括人际成分和语篇成分的主位。其表现形式为名词词组、副词词组或介词短语。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. -句项主位指小句充当主位，传统语法所说的主从复合句中的主句和从句都可以成为主位。当主位由一个小句表示时，它本身内部又可含有主位述位结构。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. -复项主位是由多种语义成分构成的主位，它具有内部结构，可以进一步划分为语篇主位（textual theme）、人际主位（interpersonal theme）、和话题主位（topical theme）（structural theme）。当三种主位同时并存时，其出现顺序为：语篇主位人际主位话题主位。13-Textual theme includes the continuative elements (连续成分) like:

13、yes, no, well, oh, now; or the structural elements (结构成分) like: yet, so, even if, however; or the conjunctive elements (连接成分) like: therefore, in other words, as far as that is concerned.-Interpersonal theme includes the modal elements (情态成分) like: certainly, to be frank, broadly speaking; or the fi

14、nite elements (一般疑问句中的限定成分) like does, do; or the vocative element (称呼成分) like John, Mrs Jones, ladies and gentlemen.14-Structural element refers to the topical element (主题成分), which can also be called as topical theme (主题主位), 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 (连接) but (结构) then (连接) (textual) Ann (称呼) surely (情态) 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(主位推进与主位推进模式主位推进与主位推进模式)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-每一个句子都有自己的主位结构。当某个句子单独存在时，它的主位和述位是已确定的，不再变化的。正因为没有上下文，它的主位和述位又是孤立的，没有发展的绝大多

24、数语篇都是由两个或两个以上的句子构成的。前后句子的主位和主位，述位和述位，主位和述位之间就会发生某种联系和变化，这种联系和变化就叫主位推进（thematic progression）。随着各句主位的向前推动，整个语篇逐步展开，直至形成一个能表达某一完整意义的整体。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.(几个句子的主位相同，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. (几个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 (延续型、阶梯型)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为后一句的主位。)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