Theme and Rheme 主位与述位

1、The fourth class,The first period 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 s

2、tructure is expressed by the order-whatever is chosen as the theme is put first.,-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。,According to the degree of the com

3、plexity 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).,Simple theme: refers to the theme of a clause consisting of just one structural element , with neither interpersonal nor textual theme. The structural el

4、ement 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.,(1)The man in black (T) laughed at me. (R)(2)Slowly and quietly, (T) he pushed the window open. (R)(3)Fr

5、om door to door (T) he wend his way. (R),2) 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 dont like that teapot

6、 (T) / give it away. (R)(3) If winter (T) comes (R) (T) / can spring be far behind? (R),3）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 sequence of the the

7、me 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。,-Textual theme includes the continuative elements (连续成分) like: yes, no, well, oh, n

8、ow; 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 finite elements (一般疑问句

9、中的限定成分) like does, do; or the vocative element (称呼成分) like John, Mrs Jones, ladies and gentlemen.,-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.,(1)Conversely (textual), possibly (int

10、erpersonal), 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) wouldnt(限定成分) (interpersona

11、l) the best idea (topical theme) /be to join the group?,Besides, 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 / touch that. Write / it d

12、own.,3)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.,2) Theme is important because it is what the cla

13、use 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 development of the latter stretch

14、es.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 of the utterance.,* The th

15、ird 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 (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),(3)Linear Theme Pattern (延续型、阶梯型)Under this pattern, the rheme o

16、r one part of the rheme in the former sentence becomes the theme for the next clause.(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(=

17、R1)R2 . . . Tn(=Rn-1)Rn,(4)Cross Theme Pattern (交叉型)Under this pattern, the theme in 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。),The play (T1) was interesting (R1), but I (T2)

18、 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 . . TnRn(=Tn1),(5)Split Rheme Pattern (述位分裂型)Under this pattern, the rheme in the previous sentence is spilt

19、 into several different themes for the following sentences.e.g. My favorite three colors (T1) are red, blue and white (R1). Red (T2=R1) makes me feel happy (R2). Blue (T3=R1) makes me feel quiet (R3). White (T4=R1) makes me feel peaceful (R4). T1R1 T2R2 T3R 3 TnRn,(6)Derived Theme Pattern (派生主位型) Under this pattern, the themes in the following sentences are all derived from the first sentence.e.g. The reasons for Tom to