Language means of Language means of expressing theme and expressing theme and rheme. Focality and rheme. Focality and

topicality.topicality.

Презентация подготовлена Лидией Караваевой, Презентация подготовлена Лидией Караваевой,

студенткой ф-та иностр. яз РГПУ им. А.И.Герцена, студенткой ф-та иностр. яз РГПУ им. А.И.Герцена, группа 2па, 2009г.группа 2па, 2009г.

The theme The theme expresses the expresses the starting point starting point of the of the communicationcommunication

The rheme The rheme expresses the expresses the basic basic informative informative part of the part of the communicationcommunication

The theme of The theme of the actual the actual division of the division of the sentence may sentence may or may not or may not coincide with coincide with the subject of the subject of the sentence. the sentence.

The rheme of the The rheme of the actual division, actual division, in its turn, may in its turn, may or may not or may not coincide with the coincide with the predicate of the predicate of the sentence — sentence — either with the either with the whole predicate whole predicate group or its part, group or its part, such as the such as the predicative, the predicative, the object, the object, the adverbial.adverbial.

Ex. 1. Ex. 1. The The themetheme is expressed by the is expressed by the subject, while the subject, while the rhemerheme is is expressed by the predicate:expressed by the predicate:

Stewie Stewie didn’t likedidn’t like his breakfast his breakfast

Again Again Homer Homer is being happyis being happy! !

Ex. 2. The Ex. 2. The theme theme is expressed by is expressed by the predicate or its part, while the predicate or its part, while the the rhemerheme is rendered by the is rendered by the subject:subject:

Through the open window Through the open window camecame the the soundsound of an approaching of an approaching police car.police car.

WhoWho is coming lateis coming late but the but the Rabbit!Rabbit!

Formal means of expressing the Formal means of expressing the distinction between the theme and the distinction between the theme and the rheme: rheme:

word-order patternsword-order patterns intonation contoursintonation contours constructions with introducersconstructions with introducers syntactic patterns of contrastive syntactic patterns of contrastive

complexescomplexes constructions with articles and other constructions with articles and other

determinersdeterminers constructions with intensifying particlesconstructions with intensifying particles

Focality and topicality.Focality and topicality.

“ “topicality” topicality” characterizing characterizing “the things we “the things we talk about”talk about”

““focality” focality” characterizing characterizing the most the most important or important or salient parts of salient parts of what we say what we say about the about the topical thingstopical things

Special distinctive Special distinctive treatment is given to some treatment is given to some topical or focal element, topical or focal element, we assign it the pragmatic we assign it the pragmatic function of Topic function of Topic (topicality) or (topicality) or FocusFocus (focality)(focality)

• • Different types of focus according to Different types of focus according to SCOPE (= what part of the SCOPE (= what part of the underlying clause structure is in underlying clause structure is in focus):focus):

I did not buy a bike, I bought a car I did not buy a bike, I bought a car (argument)(argument)

I did not paint the house, I sold it I did not paint the house, I sold it (predicate)(predicate)

Peter did not solve the problem (Peter did not solve the problem (ππ--operator)operator)

• Different types of focus according to COMMUNICATIVE POINT (= what pragmatic reasons underlie the assignment of Focus to the relevant part of the underlying clause structure):

Q-word- and yes/no-question-answer pairs (completive / new)

Contrastive focus:Contrastive focus: John and Bill came to see me. John John and Bill came to see me. John

was nice, but Bill was boring was nice, but Bill was boring (parallel)(parallel)

counter-counter-presuppositional presuppositional types of focus:types of focus:

Replacing:Replacing: John bought coffee. John bought coffee.

– No, he bought – No, he bought rice.rice.

John grows John grows potatoes. – No, he potatoes. – No, he doesn’t grow them, doesn’t grow them, he he sells sells them.them.

Expanding:Expanding: John bought John bought

coffee, but he coffee, but he also bought also bought rice.rice.

He is not only He is not only going to buy going to buy bananas, he’s bananas, he’s also going to also going to sell them.sell them.

Restricting:Restricting: John bought coffee and rice. – John bought coffee and rice. –

No, he only bought coffee.No, he only bought coffee. It seems John grows and sells It seems John grows and sells

potatoes. – No, he only sells potatoes. – No, he only sells them.them.

Selecting:Selecting: Would you like coffee or tea? – Would you like coffee or tea? –

Coffee, please. Coffee, please.

Thank you!Thank you! Herzen University 2009 Herzen University 2009

Karavayeva LidiaKaravayeva Lidia