theme-vs.-rheme

ThemeandRhemeLixiukunTom(Theme)standsonthetable(Rheme)Onthetable,(Theme)Tomstandson(Rheme)Whatarethemeandrheme?Howcanwedefinethemeandrheme?Isthereanydifferencesbetweenthemeandrheme?Aretheremanykindsofthemeorrheme?DefinitionfromMathesiusMathesiusdefinesThemeundertwoconcepts:one,asthestarting-pointoftheutterance,thatwhichisknownoratleastobviousinthegivensituation,andfromwhichthespeakerproceeds,andtwo,asfoundationoftheutteranceorsomethingthatisbeingspokenaboutinsentence.Rhemewillbewhatthespeakersaysabout,orinregardtothestartingpointoftheutteranceThemeissomethingthatcanbegatheredfromthepreviouscontext,whileRhemeexpressessomethingnew,somethingunknownfromthepreviouscontextMathesius,1942DefinitionfromHallidayThethemeisafunctionintheCLAUSEASMESSAGE.Themeiswhatthemessageisconcernedwith:thepointofdeparturewhatthespeakerisgoingtosayandrhemeiswherethepresentationmoveafterthepointofdepartureTypesofTheme(1)simpletheme单项主位multipletheme复项主位clausaltheme句项主位SimpleThemeThesimpleThemeofaclauseconsistsofjustonstructuralelement,andthatelementisrepresentedbyjustone,unit-onenominalgrouporadverbialgrouporprepositionalphrase（Tompson.2000）TheSimpleThemeofaclauseconsistsofjustonestructuralelement,embodyingjustoneofthethreemetafuntion(suchastheideational,interpersonalortextual),whethertheelementisonewordormorethanoneword,whichareususllyanominalgroup,anadverbialgrouporprepositionalgroupForexample:ThemeRhemeTheSenatehavethesolepowertotryallimpeachments.Thestates’powershallbedividedintothreepartsThepresidentwillbepresentatthebanquet中国是世界上历史最悠久的国家之一人民群众才是我们的衣食父母身体是革命的本钱a.Tom,Tom,thepiper'sson(T)//stoleapigandawaydidrun(R)b.Fromhousetohouse(T)//Iwentmyway(R)Thesinglestructuralelement,whichembodiedjustonekindofmetafunction,canalsobecomposedoftwoormoregroupsorphrase.Forexample:MultipleThemeHalliday(1994)claimsthatmultiplethemesofaclausecontainmorethanoneelementincludingatleastoneexperientialelement,probablycombinedwithothertextualorinterpersonalaheadofit.ForexampleInterpersonalThemeTextualThemeExperientialThemeRhemeButnoonehasannouncedsuchastrictruleoncompanyworkers’dressingFortunatelyhowevertheterroristsdidnotsucceedintheirattackatthecountry’scapital但是我们的任务还没有完成或许正是因为她是个女同志ClausalThemeHallidayoncemadetheillustrationthatthematicstructureappearsthrouhoutthesystemofthelanguage-withintheclause,abovetheclauseorbelowtheclause(Halliday,1994)Inatypicalclausecomplex,theclausetakingtheinitialpositioniscalledaclausalthemewhiletherestistherheme.Theclausewhichfunctionsasathememayitselfhaveathemeandrheme.Forexample:ThemeRhemeWhenthePresidentoftheUnitedStatesistriedtheChiefJusticeshallpresideAfterhavingdoneherhomework,sheisallowedtowatchTVforawhile如果最终调查结构认为你没有罪的话那只能说明调查的不够深入TypesofTheme(2)unmarkedtheme无标记主语markedtheme标记主语(1)thesubjectasthethemeindeclarativeclause.Theunmarkedthemesystacticallyfunctionsasasubjectindeclarativesentence,generallyanounoranominalphrase.Inthiscasethethemeissaidtobeunmarked.IliketheWalruebestMymasterallowedmetwopenceadayunmarkedthemerheme(2)thefiniteandsubjectasthethemeininterrogativeclauses,whicharecharacterizedbyproposingaqusetionaboutwhatisgoingon.Canyoufindmeanacreofland?Isanybodyathome?unmarkedthemerheme(3)thepredicatorasthethemeinimperativeclauseswhereaverb(apredicator),apronounorpropernouncanserveasthethemeAnswerallfivequestions！Let'sgoforawalk,shallwe?unmarkedthemerheme(4)theWH-elementasthethemeinWH-interrogativeclauses.WhokilledCorkRobin?HowmanymilestoLodon?unmarkedthemerhemeThankyou