THE INTERPLAY OF
THEME–RHEME AND GIVEN–NEW
SUMMARY
1 From the point of view of communicative effect, the important positions in the clause are the initial position and the final position. We have examined separately the two structures involved, which are mapped on to each other: the Theme–Rheme thematic structure and the Given–New information structure. We now turn to the interplay between the two. We start by going beyond the clause to look at thematic progression in a paragraph.
2 We then turn to a few of the major resources used in English for shifting information either to the beginning of the clause or to the end. We have already seen thematization (thematic fronting), which brings an element to initial position. We shall next examine the much more common device of clefting, which places an element to be focused near the front of the clause.
3 Equally important are the resources for shifting information towards the end of the clause where it receives end-focus without being marked. The function of the passive voice, of the existential sentence and of extraposition is in part just this. At the same time, a different Theme is selected. Speakers and writers of English make great use of all these devices to achieve coherence and liveliness in their speech and writing.
4 The highlighting of newsworthiness is not the only motivation of information flow. Pragmatic motivations of an interpersonal kind, such as politeness, may be the influencing factor in the selection and ordering of clausal elements, in particular the order of clauses in complex sentences.
