A summary ofClause as message

by Halliday M. A. K.

3.1 Theme and Rheme

A clause is a unit in which three meanings are combined to produce a single wording. We'll startlooking at them by the meaning that gives the clause its message character: thematic structure. Inall languages clauses constitute messages and make themselves recognizable as such by granting adistinct status to the thematic structure. In English this is achieved through word order: it is placedfirst and, following the terminology of the Prague School, we call it Theme. It is the starting pointfor messages, and the rest of the message is used to develop it, this is what we call Rheme. Aclause, therefore, consists of Theme and Rheme.

Themes set the scene for the clause and position it in relation to the text. The speaker, then, selectsthe desired Theme depending on his or her preference (+ indicates the boundary between Themeand Rheme):

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

Of course, a Theme must not necessarily consist of a nominal group. As a kick-off, we may say theTheme is the first group with a function in the structure of the clause, and that the most commonone is that of a participant realized by a nominal group. Sometimes these are focused on byannouncing them with a formula like with regard to, as for, or about... Themes may also be markedthrough intonation when theyre realized by adverbial groups, or when the nominal group is not theobject, or any time when word order is unexpected.

3.2 Group or phrase complexes as Theme; thematic equatives

So far we made two assumptions: themes consist of only one structural element, and that element isrepresented by just one unit or group. Actually, structural elements can be formed with a complexof two or more groups like:

The Walrus and the Carpenter + were walking close at hand On the ground or in the air + small creatures live and breathe

Still, these Themes are simple because they constitute a single element in the clause.

There is a special thematic resource whereby different structures are grouped into one Theme +Rheme structure: thematic equatives. In these, all elements of the clause are grouped into twoconstituents, linked by an 'equals sign' realized by verb be:

What the duke gave to my aunt |was,=| that teapot The one who gave my aunt that teapot |was,=| the duke

The first example represents the feature of nominalization, a group of elements is made to functionas a nominal group in the clause. In the examples, nominalizations act as Themes. As usual inlanguage, there is also a marked form in which nominalization goes last and becomes Rheme:

That |is,=| the one I like

A thematic equative (or pseudo-cleft) is a clause with a thematic nominalization in it, and expressesthe Theme-Rheme structure so as the Theme can consist of any set of elements. It identifies(specifies) what the Theme is and identifies (equates) it with the Rheme.

3.3 Theme and mood

Mood determines the elements typically chosen as Theme in English clauses. Clauses can beimperative or indicative in mood; the latter can be declarative or interrogative, and these yes/no-interrogatives or WH-interrogatives.

3.3.1 Theme in declarative clauses

The typical pattern is a Theme = Subject structure: the unmarked Theme. Most often this is realizedby personal pronoun I; then come the rest of pronouns you, we, he, she, it and they; the most usualafter that are impersonal pronouns it and there; last come other nominal groups with common orproper nouns as head, and nominalizations.

A Theme which is not subject we call marked Theme: adverbial groups, prepositional phrases(Today, at night...) or any elements functioning as Adjunct. The most marked Theme indeclaratives is a Complement: a nominal element which could have, but has not, been selected assubject, and that has been foregrounded to Theme position:

This responsibility we accept wholly That I could do without

A special case of thematic structure is that of exclamatives, they normally have a WH-element asTheme:

How dreadful she sounds!

3.3.2 Theme in interrogative clauses

The typical function of interrogatives is requesting information, either through the indication ofpolarity 'yes/no', or expecting the hearer to come back with some piece of information dependingon the thematic element chosen: who means the speaker expects to hear a person's name, when apoint in time, and so on. This mechanism has become part of the English language system:

Who + wants a glass of white wine? Where + did you get that from?

3.3.3 Theme in imperative clauses

The basic meaning of imperatives is giving commands or advice. The subject can be made explicit,but since that is not usual, doing so would render a marked sentence; curiously enough, thepredicator is here the unmarked Theme:

You + keep quiet! (marked) As for you + keep quiet! (marked) Keep + quiet! (marked)

In negative imperatives, the unmarked element is don't plus any element, and expressing a subjectrenders a marked form:

Don't argue + with me (u) Don't you + argue with me (m)

Imperatives are the only type of clause where the predicator is regularly the unmarked Theme.

Mood of clause | Typical 'unmarked' Themedeclarative | nominal group functioning as subjectinterrogative 'yes/no' | 1st word of verbal group and nominal group as subjectinterrogative 'WH-' | interrogative wh-elementimperative 'you' | predicator and preceding don't if negativeimperative 'you and me' | let's d preceding don't if negativeexclamative | nominal or adverbial group functioning as exclamative wh-element

If other element comes first, we are making a marked choice of Theme. In these cases the speakermay want to express some kind of special setting for the clause or provide it with a feature ofcontrast.

3.4 Textual, interpersonal and topical themes

The clause construes an expression of human experience: processes, participants andcircumstances. Themes contain one and only one of these elements, so the Theme of a clause endswith the first constituent belonging to those categories, which is called topical Theme. There maybe other elements in the clause preceding the topical Theme which, in any case, play noexperiential role, and normally no more than one or two of them occur. To illustrate multiplethemes with several elements well use an example:

well but then surely Jean wouldnt the best idea be to join in.

1. Well, textual, continuative. Signals a move in discourse or a transition in the same speakersturn.

2. but, textual, conjunction. Links or subordinates two clauses.3. then, textual, conjunctive Adjunct. Adverbial or Prepositional groups that relate the clause

to previous text.4. surely, interpersonal, modal comment Adjunct. Expressions of the speakers judgment on

the content of the message.5. Jean, interpersonal, vocative. Typically personal names used to address.6. wouldnt, interpersonal, Finite verbal operator. Auxiliary verbs that construe tense and

modality; also typical unmarked Themes of yes/no interrogatives.

Among these categories, the first two are inherently thematic and, if they appear, they do so at thebeginning of the clause. The rest can appear in any position. All these elements are typicallythematic because thats the natural way to express ideas. If the speaker wants to establish the clausein a setting (textual function) or explain his attitude to it (interpersonal), such expressions are thenatural way to set up the expression: let me tell you how this fits in or let me tell you what Ithink about this. The variations in word order inside clauses can be accounted for the followingway:

Initial position in the English clause is meaningful: it has a Thematic function. Certain textual elements orient the caluse logically or rhetorically; they are inherently

thematic. Other textual and interpersonal elements are used to relate semantically the clause with

preceding text or to express the speakers angle; they are characteristically thematic. Another characteristically thematic category is wh-elements (also in subordinates); they

are definite or indefinite (what/whatever; where/wherever)

All deictic elements are typically thematic; this also applies to groups. The Theme-Rheme structureis not a clearly cut configuration of constituents, but a movement running through the clause.Another feature which creates clearer boundaries between constituents is that of information.

3.5 The information unit: Given and New

Textual resources to create discourse are of two kinds: structural and cohesive. Grammar providesstructural units up to the rank of the clause complex. From there on semantics provides other non-structural resources for creating links that work equally within or across sentences. These are calledcollectively cohesion.

Among structural means we have two systems working: Theme, which construes messages in theform of Theme + Rheme; and Information, which does not belong to the clause but to theinformation unit, a unit parallel to the clause and the rest of its rank scale. Since it is parallel, it islength-variable and may extend over more than one or less than one clause; in unmarked cases, it isco-extensive.

Information is the tension between what is already known or predictable and what is new orunpredictable. Therefore, the information unit is made up of two functions: the New and the Given.In the idealized form, each unit consists of a Given element followed by a New one, but discoursehas to start somewhere, so sometimes we have initiating elements that are completely New. Also,Given elements tend to be phoric, i.e.: they point to some other element in discourse. So basicallyinformation units have a New element plus an optional Given one. This structure is realizednaturally, i.e. non-arbitrarily:

Each information unit is realized as a tone which may be falling, rising or mixed, andextends over the whole tone group. In this tone group, a foot carries the main pitchmovement, which is known as tonic prominence, a feature that marks the informationfocus.

The tonic foot defines the culmination of what is New, the end of the New element.Typically, this is the last functional element of the clause, therefore common units areordered as Given + New.

The unmarked position for New is at the end of the unit, but we may also find Given after the tonicfoot, a case that would be called marked information focus.A number of elements in language is inherently Given, such as anaphoric and deictic elements,which can only be retrieved from the situation where they appear. They dont normally carryinformation focus, and when they do, it is contrastive:

You can go if you like // Im not going

3.6 Given + New and Theme + Rheme

Both the Information and Thematic systems are semantically very closely related. When they areunmarked, the units of both systems are co-extensive with each other, i.e.: the Theme correspondswith Given information and the Rheme with New information. Even though they are related, thesesystems are not the same thing: the Theme is what the speaker chooses as point of departure,whereas Given is what the hearer knows or has available. Theme + Rheme is speaker-oriented andGiven + New is hearer-oriented. Both are, in any case, speaker-selected, which means the speakerrelies on a rich verbal and non-verbal environment upon which he or she builds up what is tofollow, and this often leads away from the univocal one-to-one relationship of Theme/Given +Rheme/New.

3.7 Predicated Themes

Theme predication is a special case of organization of the clause as a message because it involveschoices regarding both thematic and informational systems. Any element with a representationalfunction in the clause can be marked off by predication:

It was Jane that started it It wasnt the job that was getting me down It was eight years ago that you gave up smoking

This system identifies one element as exclusive at a point in the clause. Basically it relies onequatives, but it features some differences as well. The cost of marking parts of the clause is thatthey become strongly foregrounded information. The mapping of New and Theme gives predicatedthemes this special flavor. Since tonicity is not reflected in writing, predication also helps to makebetter interpretations; compare the following:

Johns father wanted him to give up the violin. His teacher persuaded him to continue. Johns father wanted him to give up the violin. It was his teacher who persuaded him to

continue.

3.8 Theme in bound, minor and elliptical clauses

Although we have considered free clauses so far, thematic structure also has its place in dependentstructures, only the speaker has less freedom to choose Theme. In the case of subordinate clausesand even more so in interrogatives, occurrences of Themes are predetermined. However, if theTheme is fixed by grammar, the next item retains some thematic flavor. Consider If wintercomes. This clause shows an obligatory, fixed Theme, thus winter can be considered the topicalTheme. The significance of these patterns is remarkable because theyre a key to the developmentof a text. And though main contributions come from free clauses, others need to be taken accountof.

3.8.1Dependent bound clauses

Finite. Their structural Theme is typically a conjunction followed by a topical Theme: [I asked] whether / pigs // have wings [He left] because / his work // was done

If the bound clause begins with a WH-element, it constitutes the topical Theme because it has afunction in the transitivity structure:

[I asked] why / pigs // have no wings

Non-finite. The scheme may be similar to finite clauses, but many have no structural nortopical Theme, in which case they feature only Rheme:

For / that printer // to work off you machine // to avoid delay

3.8.2 Embedded bound clauses

They function inside nominal groups (for example as defining relatives) and their thematic structureequals that of dependent clauses, so that their contribution to discourse is minimal:

The day the dam broke

3.8.3 Minor clauses

They have no mood nor transitivity structure and are typically calls or greetings:

Mary! Good night! Their thematic structure is .

3.8.4 Elliptical clauses

Anaphoric ellipsis. Here part of the clause is presupposed from previous utterances,therefore theyre similar to minor clauses: Yes. No. Of course.

Exophoric ellipsis. Here theres no presupposition from previous material, but from thesituation. They have a thematic structure, but it consists of Rheme only:

Thirsty? Are you thirsty?

Example text and commentary.

http://perso.wanadoo.es/filol