Themes and rhemes in sentences

In linguistics, themes and rhemes are concepts used to analyse the structure of sentences and how information is organised. These terms help us understand how sentences are structured to convey meaning effectively.

1. What is a theme?

A theme is the starting point of a sentence (the element that introduces what the sentence is about). It is often the subject of the sentence, but it can also include additional information that sets the context.

2. What is a rheme?

A rheme is the part of the sentence that provides new information about the theme. It is the part of the sentence that develops the theme and adds meaning to it. A rheme is everything in a clause that is not part of the theme.

Examples of themes and rhemes in sentences:

3. Themes and rhemes in different sentence types

Themes and rhemes can be applied to different types of sentences, including declarative, interrogative, and imperative sentences.

4. Types of themes

A theme can be categorised into three main types:

• Topical
• Textual
• Interpersonal

Each type serves a specific function in organizing information and structuring sentences.

4.1. Topical themes

A topical theme is the first element in a clause that represents the topic or subject matter of the message. It is the part of the clause that sets the stage for what the clause is about. A topical theme is typically a participant, circumstance, or process that serves as the starting point of the message.

A topical theme can be further divided into marked and unmarked themes.

4.1.1. Unmarked themes

An unmarked theme is the typical or expected starting point of a clause. In declarative sentences, the unmarked theme is usually the subject.

4.1.2. Marked themes

A marked theme occurs when an element other than the subject is placed at the beginning of the clause for emphasis or stylistic reasons.

4.2. Textual themes

A textual theme includes elements that connect the clause to the broader text or discourse, such as continuatives, conjunctive adjuncts, and structural conjunctions.

4.2.1. Continuatives

Continuatives are words or phrases that signal continuity or progression in the discourse. They often indicate that the speaker or writer is continuing a thought, adding information, or transitioning smoothly between ideas. Continuatives are typically short and serve to maintain the flow of the text.

4.2.2. Conjunctive adjuncts

Conjunctive adjuncts are words or phrases that explicitly show the logical relationship between clauses or sentences. They help the reader understand how ideas are connected, such as whether the next clause adds information, contrasts with the previous one, or provides a reason or result.

4.2.3. Structural conjunctions

Structural conjunctions are words that link clauses within a sentence, often indicating a grammatical relationship between them. They are used to combine clauses into complex or compound sentences and show how the clauses are related (e.g., coordination, subordination).

4.3. Interpersonal themes

An interpersonal theme includes elements that express the speaker’s attitude, opinion, or interaction with the listener, such as modal adjuncts, comment adjuncts, vocatives, and finite verbal operators.

4.3.1. Modal adjuncts

Modal adjuncts are words or phrases that express the speaker’s judgement about the likelihood, necessity, or frequency of the proposition. They convey the speaker’s attitude toward the truth or validity of the message.

4.3.2. Comment adjuncts

Comment adjuncts are expressions that convey the speaker’s personal opinion, attitude, or evaluation of the message. They often reflect the speaker’s stance or emotional response to the content.

4.3.3. Vocatives

Vocatives are words or phrases used to directly address or refer to the listener or reader. They are often used to establish a connection with the audience or to draw their attention.

4.3.4. Finite verbal operators

Finite verbal operators are auxiliary verbs that express modality, tense, or polarity (positive/negative). They reflect the speaker’s judgement about the likelihood, necessity, or desirability of the action or state described in the clause.

5. Multiple themes

Multiple themes occur when a clause contains more than one type of theme (e.g., textual, interpersonal, and topical themes).

Multiple themes often appear in the following order:

• Textual themes (e.g., conjunctions, conjunctive adjuncts).
• Interpersonal themes (e.g., modal adjuncts, comment adjuncts).
• Topical themes (the main subject or topic of the clause).