Literary Stylistics:
Lecture Notes no. 15

Theme-Rheme & Given-New I

Page Index:

Reading
Basic Ideas
        Meaning of Theme
        SFPCA Arrangement
        Basic Concept of Theme-Rheme
        Marked & Unmarked
Topical Theme: Significance
Other Themes
Themes & Their Metafunctions
Multiple Theme
Given & New Information

Reading

We will be dealing with the concepts of theme-rheme and given-new in this lecture. The required reading is Chapter 3 of Halliday's Introduction

Basic Ideas

Meaning of theme

In a course in literary stylistics, it is perhaps appropriate for one to mention at the outset that the term theme here is used quite differently from the way it is generally understood in literary analysis. When it is used in relation to the term rheme, it is a more technical grammatical term.

The SFPCA arrangement

In relation to its meaning here, we have noted an earlier lecture that 'there is no necessity for the Subject-Finite-Predicator- Complement-Adjunct pattern to be present in the given order in a simple declarative clause in the active voice'. In the examples below, which have been used in the lecture, the italicised elements are the thematised elements.

i) 'I am writing handouts for my students',
ii) 'For my students, I am writing handouts',
iii) 'Handouts I am writing for my students'.

The subject in i),

the circumstantial adjunct in ii), and

the complement in iii)
are the themes of their respective clauses.

Theme-rheme

Table 15.1
Theme Rheme

I
(Subject) am writing handouts
for my students

For my students,
(Circumstantial Adjunct)
I am writing handouts

Handouts
(Complement) I am writing for my students

We have also noted that everything else which follows the theme in a single clause, is the rheme. In other words, the rhemes of the above clauses are formed by all the other constituents which follow

Table 15.1
Theme	Rheme
I (Subject)	am writing handouts for my students
For my students, (Circumstantial Adjunct)	I am writing handouts
Handouts (Complement)	I am writing for my students

the subject 'I' in example i),

the circumstantial adjunct 'For my students' in example ii), and

the complement 'Handouts' in example iii).
These are illustrated by the table on the right, which was used in the lecture.

The subject, circumstantial adjunct, and complement, when they are fronted, are all known as topical themes. The term topical theme is used in order to distinguish it from the two other types of themes which we will mention later.

Marked & unmarked

Another observation made in the earlier lecture is that the italicised constituents in ii) and iii) are less commonly thematised than that in i), as it is more likely for the subject rather than the adjunct or complement of a declarative clause to be thematised. In this regard, we have made the observation that

the theme of clause i) (the subject) is unmarked, whilst

the themes of clauses ii) and iii) (non-subjects) are marked.
We have also noted that due to the fact that instances of thematised complements in declarative clauses are less common than those in which circumstantial adjuncts are thematised, the former is sometimes described as being more marked than the latter.

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Significance of the Topical Theme

We mentioned above that:

The circumstantial adjunct, if it is put right at the beginning of a sentence, is the topical theme of a clause.
However, the modal and conjunctive adjuncts cannot be the topical theme, even if they are fronted.
- The fronted modal adjunct is known as (or as being part of), after its metafunctional affiliation, the interpersonal theme of the clause.
- Likewise, the fronted conjunctive adjunct, is known as (or as being part of), after its metafunctional affiliation, the textual theme of the clause.

The circumstantial adjunct, like the subject and the complement, but unlike the modal and conjunctive adjuncts, refers to the content of what is being described by the clause (hence the 'topic' of the clause).

In technical terms, this means that if a circumstantial adjunct is fronted, everything else which follows the adjunct is the rheme.
But this is not the case with the modal and conjunctive adjuncts when they are thematised. If the modal or conjunctive adjunct is thematised, one needs to wait for the appearance of the topical theme (which as stated above can be the subject, complement or circumstantial adjunct), before one can draw the line of demarcation between the theme and the rheme.

The line of demarcation between theme and rheme is thus invariably drawn between the end of the topical theme and before the beginning of the next constituent; the next constituent is the initiator of the rheme.

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Other Themes

As regards the two other types of theme, we have to note that the interpersonal theme is not restricted to the modal adjunct.

Other than the modal adjunct,

the vocative,

finite verb or

WH-interrogative element
is also considered as (or as part of) the interpersonal theme if it appears before the topical theme.

The same is true of the textual theme, which is not restricted to

the conjunctive adjunct, as

the continuative or

the structural element (which is a conjunctive or WH-relative)
can also appear as, or as part of, the textual theme.

Themes and Their Metafunctions

The constituents of the various types of themes are conveniently described in the table below from Halliday's Introduction. Explanations of the terms which have not been defined in an earlier lecture, or of problems which may arise with Halliday's classification, follow the table.

Table 15.2: The Metafunctional Relationships of Thematic Constituents
(Taken from p. 54 of Halliday's Introduction [slightly different version on p. 79]. Refer to pp. 49-56; 48-54; 79-87 of the book for a more detailed explanation)
metafunction component of theme

textual continuative#
structural (conjunctive or WH-relative*)
conjunctive (adjunct)

interpersonal vocative@
modal (adjunct)
finite (verb)
WH-interrogative*

ideational topical (subject, complement, or circumstantial adjunct)

Table 15.2: **The Metafunctional Relationships of Thematic Constituents**
(Taken from p. 54 of Halliday's *Introduction* [slightly different version on p. 79]. Refer to pp. *49-56*; **48-54**; 79-87 of the book for a more detailed explanation)
metafunction	component of theme
textual	continuative# structural (conjunctive or WH-relative*) conjunctive (adjunct)
interpersonal	vocative@ modal (adjunct) finite (verb) WH-interrogative*
ideational	topical (subject, complement, or circumstantial adjunct)

*The WH-element in a relative or interrogative clause, as it can function entirely as or as part of the subject, complement or adjunct, can also be (or be part of) the topical theme. There is a conflation of the topical theme with either the interpersonal theme (in relation to the WH-interogative) or textual theme (in relation to the WH-relative) when this happens. We may further specify that if the WH-element functions entirely as the subject, complement or adjunct, then there is a complete conflation of the topical and either the interpersonal or textual theme. However, if the WH-element functions together with other elements to form the subject, complement or adjunct, then the conflation of the topical and another theme occurs only in relation to the WH-element. Back to table.

#Continuatives are defined by Halliday as consisting of 'a small set of items such as yes, no, well, oh, now'; these items are used to signal initiating or continuing moves in interactive discourse. Back to table

@A vocative is an optional nominal in interactive discourse which clearly signals to the person or persons concerned, that the clause refers to him/her/them. Back to table

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Multiple Theme

As noted earlier, a topical theme can appear together with the interpersonal or textual theme, if elements which belong to either the interpersonal or textual theme appear before the topical theme. If this happens, then we have what is known as a multiple theme. A useful example of a clause with a multiple theme is found on p. 55 of Halliday's Introduction (see p. 81 for a slightly different version):

Table 15.3
well but then Ann surely wouldn't the best idea be to join the group?

continuative structural conjunctive vocative modal finite topical Rheme

textual interpersonal experiential

Theme

Table 15.3
well	but	then	Ann	surely	wouldn't	the best idea	be to join the group?
continuative	structural	conjunctive	vocative	modal	finite	topical	Rheme
textual	interpersonal	experiential
Theme

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Given and New Information

One of the ways by which the analysis of theme-rheme can be useful to stylistic analysis, is through its combination with an analysis of given and new information. It may be helpful to refer to what Halliday says in relation to given and new information on p. 277; 298; 91 of his Introduction here. To Halliday, 'the significant variable' as far as given and new information are concerned, is:

information that is presented by the speaker as recoverable (Given) or not recoverable (New) to the listener. What is treated as recoverable may be so because it has been mentioned before; but that is not the only possibility. It may be something that is in the situation, like I and you; or in the air, so to speak; or something that is not around at all but that the speaker wants to present as Given for rhetorical purposes. The meaning is: this is not news. Likewise, what is treated as non-recoverable may be something that has not been mentioned; but it may be something unexpected, whether previously mentioned or not. The meaning is: attend to this; this is news.

I would like to mention here that our approach to given and new information in this course, as it is concentrated on written and not spoken language, will be more psychological and less phonological than Halliday's.

The significance of the combination of given-new and theme-rheme in stylistic analysis is I think, best illustrated by how clarity and smoothness in the style of writing are achieved by the coincidence of given information with each of the themes of the various clauses in a passage which will be given during the lecture.

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