Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Arranged to comply the task of Functional Grammar by the lecturer Kelik Wachyudi, S.S.,
M.Hum
Arranged by:
Anggi Noviyanti
1610631060015
Theme is the element that serves as the point of departure of the message; it is that which
locates and orients the clause within its context. The speaker chooses the Theme as his or her
point of departure to guide the addressee in developing an interpretation of the message; by
making part of the message prominent as Theme, the speaker enables the addressee to process
the message. The remainder of the message, the part in which the Theme is developed, is called
in Prague school terminology the Rheme. As a message structure, therefore, a clause consists
of a subject matter in the midst of a Rheme; and also the structure is expressed by the order –
no matter is chosen because the Theme is put first. The message thus unfolds from thematic
prominence – the part that the speaker has chosen to highlight as the starting point for the
addressee – to thematic nonprominence.
These are elements that are either textual or interpersonal in function, playing no part
in the ex periential meaning of the clause. They can be summarized as shown in Table
3-3.
Table 3-3 Textual and interpersonal Themes
Textual: Continuative
Conjunction [‘structural Theme’]
Conjunctive Adjunct
Modal/Comment Adjunct
Vocative
Interpersonal:
Finite verbal operator [in yes/no
interrogative]
Interpersonal Theme:
Mod
Top
Interp. Rheme
Theme
Voc Mod
Top
Interp. Rheme
Theme
B. Topical Themes
Topical Theme is an obligatory part of Theme. Following Halliday (1994), Theme can
embrace everything up to the primary topical (ideational) component. In the present
study, as previously noted, Theme will include everything up to and including the
Subject. A topical Theme can be realised by a Circumstantial Adjunct, e.g. in October,
after the meeting, tomorrow, etc., a participant, e.g. The Director of Housing, the
programme, or a process, e.g. decide, to be examined, obtain. Generally for a process
to be the Theme, i.e. for a process to be the first ideational feature in a clause, it is part
of an imperative structure, e.g. please ensure. In this example, as is usual in imperative
clauses, the Finite will and Subject you have been ellipsed. Topical Theme is a term
used to refer to any or all of the above features which are found in the Theme of a clause
or clause complex.
Topical theme:
Theme Rheme
Theme Rheme
The Relationship between Theme and Rheme with Education
Improve the students’ writing ability through wide reading. Reading a lot of English articles
can help students understand the thinking mode of the westerners, and master the textural
structure of westerners in reading. During reading, teachers should appropriately introduce the
theme theory and thematic progression model to the students, so that the students can gradually
form the habit of English thinking. By improving the students’ writing ability through a lot of
exercises, teachers can start from the topic of composition and ask students to modify the
composition topic according to the theme theory and theme progression model, so as to form a
habit of using this theory. In addition, during the composition practice of students, teachers
should make evaluation well, and help students analyze the language, content and structure of
the excellent compositions. First, help students master how to distinguish the theme and rheme
and use the iconic theme. Appropriately using multiple theme, clausal theme and iconic theme
can make the articles rich and attractive.
References
Halliday, M. A., & Matthiessen, C. (2014). Halliday's Introduction to Functional Grammar. Oxon:
Routledge.
Ridha, N. S. (2016). Theme and Rheme : Types and Problems in EFL University Students' Written. 94-
114.