A MESSAGE comes from somewhere and

leads somewhere

The two point of prominence of English Clause:

the beginning and the end
The beginning : is where we put information
which links the clause to what has come before
e.g.
We find conjunctions at the beginning of clauses because
they provide a logical link with what has gone before
We also find information about the topic of the clause,
what the clause is about
The topical information is also related to something which
has been introduced earlier in a text or is retrievable from the
context

I
THEME

come from down town in the

valley
RHEME

THEME Is what the clause is going to be about

this is what Im talking about
Looking backwards, relating the current message to
what has gone before
RHEME
this is what Im saying about
Pointing both backwards and forwards by picking up
on information which is already available and
adding to it and by presenting information which
was not there before

Ideational/ Topical is usually but not always

the first nominal group in the clause
Topical Theme may also be nominal group
complexes, adverbial groups, prepositional
phrase or embedded clauses
In the unmarked case, the Topical Theme is
also subject
A Topical Theme which is not the Subject is
called a Marked Topical Theme

Nominal group as Theme

Jack
went up the hill
Theme Rheme
Nominal group complex
Jack and Jill went up the hill
Theme
Rheme
Embedded clause
((what jack and Jill did)) was going up the
hill
Theme
Rheme

Adverbial
Down
Jack fell
Theme Rheme
Prepositional phrase
Up the hill
Jack and Jill went
Theme
Rheme
complement
His crown he broke
Theme
Rheme

Relate the clause to its context

Conjunctive / Conjuntive adjunct ( free to move in
a clause )
Conjunction ( at the beginning )
the procedur was simple
but, nevertheless was very effective
the procedur was simple
but, was nevertheless very effective
the procedur was simple
but, was very effective nevertheless

Conjunctions tend to provide Textual Theme

within a clause complex
Conjunctive Adjuncts tend to (but dont
always) join text outside of clause complex

Continuatives are small set of items which, if

they are there, are always at the beginning of the
clause and signal that a new move is beginning :
well, right, OK, now, anyway, of course

Modal adjunct
Perhaps we can wait until next week
Modal Topical
interp.
Vocatives ( name, nick name used to address
someone)
Dearly beloved we
are gathered here
today
vocative
topical
Mary, we decided to wait until next week
vocative topical
Mary
decided to wait until next week
topical

If the dependent clause comes first

theme
then it is the Theme for the whole Clause Complex
Rheme
If the dependent clause
comes first
str topical
Theme Rheme
Theme
then it is the theme for the whole Clause
complex
str topical
Theme Rheme
Rheme

Occur in certain identifying where theme

and Rheme are equated with each other.
They always involve nominalisation

What we wanted to do was wait until next

week
Theme
Rheme

take the form

It + be + . . . .

It
was the lecturer ((who made the
decision))
Theme Rheme
Theme Rheme
Theme
Rheme
It
was suggested ((that they
wait))
Theme Rheme
Str
Topical
Theme
Rheme
Theme
Rheme

Did we decide to wait?

fin

Sub
j

Rheme

Theme

On Saturday will you be going?

Topical
Theme

Rheme

What time is the exam?

Who
are you trying to kid?

Theme

Rheme

Write your name in the upper right hand

corner
Rheme

Write your name in the upper right hand

Them
Rheme
corner
e

What a beautiful day it is

Theme
Rheme

How divinely he dances

Theme

Rheme

Metafunction

Textual

Interpersonal

Ideational

Components of Theme
Continuative (Well, OK, etc)
Structural (Conjunction / Wh-relative)
Conjunctive (adjunct)
Modal (adjunct)
Finite
Wh-interrogative
Topical (Subject Component)
Or Circumstantial Adjunct

Note: Wh-relatives and Interrogative

are also topical element

I
Th

m getting tired of

you
New

You
Th

re getting tired of

me
New

It
Th

s the final act of our little tragedy

New

Make an analysis on MOOD, TRANSITIVITY

AND THEME-RHEME
Find the text of your own consisting of at
least 4 paragraphs (don forget to include
the source where you find the text)
Give comment to the analysis you make

The structure of the work

Cover with IKIP logo

The text
The analysis
The comment on the three points (MOOD,
TRANSITIVITY and THEME-RHEME