CLAUSE AS MESSAGE
3.1 Theme and Rheme
t h r e e
As a message structure, therefore, a clause consists of a Theme accompanied by a Rheme;
and the structure is expressed by the order — whatever is chosen as the Theme is put first.*
In the following example, which is the first sentence of the Introduction to Roget’s Thesaurus, the Theme is the present Work.
Text 3-1
The present Work is intended to supply, with respect to the English language, a desideratum hitherto unsupplied in any language; ...
Here is a short passage from a guide book, illustrating how the choice of Theme functions to organize and carry forward the discourse. The boundary between Theme and Rheme is shown by +.
Text 3-2
Goa Gajah + is the ‘elephant cave’ on the road to Gianyar, a Hindu-Buddhist temple area ...
The atmosphere outside + is peaceful, ...
while inside the small cave + it is surprisingly humid and dry. [sic]
Beyond the main complex + is a lovely stream that bubbles under a wooden bridge, and further on + are steep stone steps leading to another complex ...
For this popular tourist attraction, + dress properly; ...
(Holly Smith et al., Indonesia. Travbugs Travel Guides. Singapore and London: Sun Tree Publishing Ltd., 1993. p. 317.)
Contrast this with a geological text:
Text 3-3
Chert + is microscopically fine-grained silica (SiO2).
It + is equivalent to chalcedony. ...
Chert + originates in several ways.
Some + may precipitate directly from sea water ...
Most + comes from the accumulation of silica shells of organisms.
These silica remains + come from diatoms, radiolaria, and sponge spicules, ...
(Robert J. Foster, Physical Geology. Columbus, OH: Merrill, 1971. p. 87.)
T h e m e a n d R h e m e
* Some grammarians have used the terms Topic and Comment instead of Theme and Rheme. But the Topic — Comment terminology carries rather different connotations. The label ‘Topic’ usually refers to only one particular kind of Theme, the ‘topical Theme’ (seeSection 3.4, p. 79); and it tends to be used as a cover term for two concepts that are functionally distinct, one being that of Theme and the other being that of Given (seeSection 3.5, p. 87). It seems preferable to retain the earlier terminology of Theme-Rheme.
As can be seen from these examples, the Theme always starts from the beginning of the clause (for the status of whileandand in Text 3-2, see Section 3.4 below). It is what sets the scene for the clause itself and positions it in relation to the unfolding text. In the first text the reader is being led around and invited to notice and appreciate; in the second, the reader is held firmly to the topic that is being described.
This suggests that the speaker/writer is selecting the desired Theme — that there can be variation in what is chosen as the thematic element in the clause; and this is so. In the following paradigm of constructed examples the three agnate clauses differ just in respect of which nominal group is functioning as Theme (Figure 3-1).
Fig. 3-1 Theme-Rheme structure
Compare the following snatch of dialogue from an interview, where the second speaker switched from one Theme to another.
Text 3-4
A: (I’m hoping that) all financial and domestic considerations + have been gone into?
B: (Yes) we + ’ve taken them into account.
(Yes) they + have.
(LLC p. 753.)
The interviewee, faced with this bureaucratic mouthful, obviously feels that the natural Theme for the response is we; it is after all she and her partner whose actions are the key to providing the information requested. But she then adapts to the thematic structure of the question, and switches over to they(=all. . .considerations) as Theme.
It will have been clear from the earlier examples that the Theme is not necessarily a nominal group; it may be some other class of group or phrase. John B. Carroll’s ‘Foreword’
to Whorf’s Language, Thought and Realitybegins with the adverbial Theme,once in a blue moon:
Text 3-5
Once in a blue moon a man comes along who grasps the relationship between events which have hitherto seemed quite separate, and gives mankind a new dimension of knowledge.
As a general guide to start off with, we shall say that the Theme of a clause is the first group or phrase that has some function in the experiential structure of the clause. We shall return to this in a little more detail in Section 3.4 below (and more fully in Chapter 5); meanwhile,
the duke has given my aunt that teapot my aunt has been given that teapot by the duke that teapot the duke has given to my aunt Theme Rheme
this definition will be elaborated in the next few sections to take account of complex and multiple Themes, as well as special types of thematic patterning that create order in the discourse.
The most common type of Theme is a participant, realized by a nominal group. Such 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. For example:
As for Pope John Paul himself, + he is known to be very keen on sport.
(BE bbc/06 S1000900 531)
Compare:
As to that teapot, + my aunt was given it by the duke.
Typically, the Theme is then ‘picked up’ by the appropriate pronoun in its natural place in the clause. Such picking up may occur even if the Theme is not explicitly announced by a thematic marker (as is usually the case in speech, where intonation can be used; see below), as in:
That teapot — my aunt was given it by the duke.
Oh, my little toe, look at it. (Text 76)
A man who succeeds as a farmer, who succeeds as a householder — these things are highly regarded. (Text 16)
Sometimes the Theme is not picked up in this way and it is left to the listener to infer the relationship:
But corporations, you’ve got to make sure you know what you’re doing, because otherwise you’re out of business. (Text 101)
This device enables the speaker or writer to select a Theme without disturbing the overall arrangement of the clause (cf. below on marked Themes, Section 3.3).
The Theme of a clause is frequently marked off in speech by intonation, being spoken on a separate tone group; this is especially likely when the Theme is either (i) an adverbial group or prepositional phrase or (ii) a nominal group not functioning as Subject — in other words, where the Theme is anything other than that which is most expected (see Section 3.3 below). But even ordinary Subject Themes are often given a tone group to themselves in everyday speech. One tone group expresses one unit of information (cf. Section 3.5, p. 87); and if a clause is organized into two information units, the boundary between the two is overwhelmingly likely to coincide with the junction of Theme and Rheme. This is, in fact, an important piece of evidence for understanding the Theme + Rheme structure, for example (from Text 3-9, p. 88):
// in this job + Anne we’re // working with silver // [marked theme]
// the people that buy silver + // love it // [unmarked theme]