Chapter 6

Absolute theme: that which is positioned just before the clause whose function that which is
positioned at the very beginning of the clause and whose function is to present the theme
before talking about it.

Basic existential: subtype of existential clause that cannot be transformed into a plain clause,
having an end-weight structure and a verb with low communicative dynamism (be)
simultaneously.
Continuous progression (constant theme): the theme is maintained in all clauses with
different rhemes.
Contrastive focus: means to highlight certain information by shifting the original clause into a
different order.

Definiteness: based on the degree of empathy we formerly have acquired about, this feature
will depict how easily we have achieved this feeling.
Derived existential: subtype of existential clause that allows transformation into a plain clause,
having an end weight structure and a verb “heavier” than be simultaneously.
Derived progression (themes): every theme and rheme is associated with a general topic that
encompasses it all, or hypertheme.
Detached predicatives: clauses whose main element can be a noun, an adjective or a
participle, that has been fronted.
Dislocation: element of the clause (typically the subject) that can be put at the beginning or
the end of the clause, and that is referenced by repetition in the position where it normally is.
(Example: Sarah, where is she?)
Double detachment: situation in which an absolute theme and a left-dislocation happen at the
same time, having a strong pragmatical link. (Example: The worker, his boss, he paid him
double this month).
Dummy element: word that does not add any new information but makes the sentence
grammar work.

Ellipsis: phenomenon by which recoverable information is removed from a clause.

Empathy hierarchy: a scale that ranks from most to least likely for humans to feel empathy for.
It goes: speaker > hearer > human > animal > physical object > abstract entity.
End-weigh/focus: principle which sets the shortest component of the clause first and the
longest last.
Event utterances: those in which the subject receives the focus and no information is assumed
(Example: She is about to drown!)
Existential clause: that whose structure begins with an unstressed there + a form of be+ a NG.
Extended existential: subtype of existential clause that is consequence of additions to the NG.
Extraposition: clause whose structure starts with an ‘anticipatory it’ as a subject so that it will
not infringe the end-weight principle.

Focus of information: the chunk of information that seems the most important to the speaker
and that he decides to highlight through different devices.

Given/pressuposed information/element: that which is already known by the participants.

Global topic: the point that ties the full text’s meaning together.
Hypertheme: main theme of a series of clauses that encompasses all themes and rhemes of
each clause.

Identifying clause: that whose main function is providing information about the subject.
Identity chain: trace of the topic of a clause that we can track across the full text, in the form
of NG, proper nouns or pronouns.
Information unit: parts in which the speakers split the information they share when
communicating.
Interpersonal themes: they mark the interactions between each participant, encouraging
them to keep talking, acknowledging their understanding or addressing them.
Involvement: the degree in which the participants take part in an action.
It-cleft: that which gives attention to the front part of the clause.

Local topic: main points that connect the whole text by a chain of allusions to said topic.

Multiple themes: situation in which the experiential, interpersonal and textual functions of
language are all included in the theme.
Marked focus: intonation structure that gives attention to certain parts of the information that
usually are not highlighted.
Marked theme: choice on the order of the clause that implies another meaning than the usual
unmarked, neutral structure.

New information/element: piece of information that is unknown and hence non recoverable
by the hearer of the speech.
Non-experiential themes: those which precede the experiential theme.

"One chunk per clause" principle/one new idea constraint: principle by which the speaker
settles for one piece of new information per clause so the hearer can focus on that idea easily.

Postponement: the splitting of a unit to ease the weight on the main verb. It also serves as a
focus device to highlight said part of the clause.
Principle of end focus: rule by which the most important information takes the closest position
towards the end of the clause.

Rheme: component of the clause that says something about the theme, usually new
information in relation to it.

Saliency: cognitive feature of the topic that depicts how relevant it is within the rest of the
participants of the action.
Short existentials: subtype of existential clause that includes a negative word whose function
is depicting the lack of quantity or number.
Simple linear progression: the new information in the rheme of the first clause becomes the
theme in the second one.
Situational ellipsis: situation in which, while speaking or imitating it through written text, part
of the speech can be omitted, as it can be recovered by the participants.
Substitution: device that dodges the repetition of recoverable information by using another
word that fills that gap. (Example: ‘do so’).
Split rheme: that which combines simple linear and continuous progression, conjoining two
clauses that introduce new information through the rheme and still maintaining the given
information through the rest of the text.
Textual ellipsis: phenomenon which happens when, on a piece of written text, part of the
information in the second clause is already stated in the first clause, so we can remove it.
Topical theme: that which is both the theme and the subject of the clause.
Textual meaning: that which connects the parts of the discourse together.
Textual themes: they connect clauses and sign there is some kind of common link between
them.
Theme: component of the clause that comes first; it prepares the hearer for receiving new
information about said theme. It is the first link on the reference chain of a text.
Thematic equative: structure in which the wh-cleft with given information is followed by new
information to create some effect. It has the form X=Y.
Tone unit: the rhythmic unit that stands for a unit of uttered information.
Tonic syllable: the strongest syllable pronounced which signals for the main focus of
information in the clause.
Tonic prominence: the phenomenon that stresses a syllable on a word.
Topic: the subject matter of the message.

Unmarked focus: structure of intonation that stresses the last non-anaphorical lexical item in
the clause.
Unmarked theme: neutral order of the clause in which the subject is also the theme.

Wh- cleft: gives attention to the ending part of the clause.