Thematic Progression (Theme/Rheme)

5/21/2018 Thematic Progression (Theme/Rheme)

1/41

UNIT 2

METHOD OF

DEVELOPMENT


2/41

THEMATIC PROGRESSION

(brief revision)

THEMATIC PROGRESSIONconcernshow a text unfolds as determined by where

Themes come from and how theyrelate to

other Themes and Rhemes of the text. It pays

attention to the content of the Themes ONLY

to determine wherea part icu lar Theme

comes f rom:if from a previous Theme

(constant pattern), a previous Rheme(linear/zig-zag pattern), from a more general

previous Rheme (split-rheme pattern), or

from the field the text relates to (derived

pattern).-


3/41

METHOD OF DEVELOPMENT

Definition

The way a text or a segment/section of

a text unfolds or develops (i. e. the

organizational pattern of a text or

section/segment of a text), determined bythe overall purpose of the text or the

function of the particular segment.

It determines theme selection (= the

content of themes) and is signalled/

shown by theme selection.


4/41

Method of development&

Thematic progression:

comparison and contrast

As suggested in the definition, method

of development does not depend onwhere Themes come from (as thematic

progression does), but only on the

content/referent of Themes, and it issignalled/shown by the content of

Themes.


5/41

Method of development

different types

Depending on the overall purpose of thetext and the types of themes selected, therecan be:

Chronological method of development

Sequential method of development

Topographical method of development

Classificatory Method of development

Meronymyc method of development

Contrastive method of development


6/41

Text 1- George Bernard Shaws biography

George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin,

Ireland, on July 26, 1856. He attended fourdifferent schools, but his real education came froma thorough grounding in music and painting, whichhe obtained at home. In 1871, he was apprenticed

to a Dublin estate agent, and later he worked as acashier. In 1876, Shaw joined his mother andsister in London, where he spent the next nineyears in unrecognized struggle and genteelpoverty.

From 1885 to 1898, he wrote fornewspapers and magazines as a critic of art,literature, music and drama. But his main interestat this time was political propaganda and, in 1884,he joined the Fabian society.


7/41

Text 1- George Bernard Shaws biography:

ThemeRheme Analysis

George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin,

Ireland, on July 26, 1856./// Heattended fourdifferent schools,// but his real education camefrom a thorough grounding in music and painting,//which heobtained at home./// In 1871, he was

apprenticed to a Dublin estate agent,// and laterhe worked as a cashier./// In 1876, Shaw joinedhis mother and sister in London,// where he spentthe next nine years in unrecognized struggle andgenteel poverty.

From 1885 to 1898, he wrote fornewspapers and magazines as a critic of art,literature, music and drama./// But his maininterest at this timewas political propaganda//

and, in 1884, he joined the Fabian society.


8/41

Text 1 - Observations/ Comments on Theme

selection

Many topical themes with reference to Shaw or

aspects of his life (G. B. Shaw, he, his realeducation, his main interest at this time)

Many marked topical themes where

Circumstances of temporal location are madethematic (In 1871, and later, in 1876)

Constant + Derived Themes patterns ofprogression (we know from genre [= biography]

and field [= the life of G. B. Shaw] that a lifeunfolds through time and are not surprised byCircumstances of time in thematic position, evenwhen these themes do not come from previousThemes or Rhemes;


9/41

Text 1Observations and Comments

The high proportion of marked topical themes

would seem to be distinctive of this text and theThematic progression analysis alone, does notenable us to capture all that is involved in Themeselection in this text.

To capture this we could say the method ofdevelopment, i. e. the approach to theorganization of the text, is chronolog ica l. Thischrono logical method o f developmentaffects

the text as a whole, and determines the highproportion of circumstances of temporal locationin thematic position as marked themes


10/41

CHRONOLOGICAL METHOD OF

DEVELOPMENT

Approach to the organization of a textthat re-contextualizes the events in the text

temporally at different points throughCircumstances of temporal Location inthematic position as Marked theme,providing a temporal orientation to the

events in the text. Typical of biographies and historicalrecounts and accounts



11/41


DEVELOPMENT:

A further example: Text 2

How the British gained colonial power overSri LankaThe French revolution resulted in a major

shake-up among the European powers andin 1796the Dutch were easily supplanted by the British, who

also managed to subdue the Kingdom of Kandy andbecome the first European power to control the wholeisland. Until 1802, the British administered Sri Lankafrom Madras in India, butin that year it became aCrown colony, and in 1818, three years after the

incorporation of Kandy, a unified administration for theentire island was set up. In 1832, sweeping changesin property laws opened the door to British settlers [...]

[Source: Matthiessen, C. LexicogrammaticalCartography, page 577]



12/41


DEVELOPMENT:

A further example: Text 2

How the British gained colonial power overSri LankaThe French revolutionresulted in a major

shake-up among the European powers// andin 1796the Dutch were easily supplanted by the British,// who

also managed to subdue the Kingdom of Kandy// and(who managed to) become the first European powerto control the whole island./// Until 1802, the Britishadministered Sri Lanka from Madras in India,// butinthat year it became a Crown colony,// and in 1818,

three years after the incorporation of Kandy, aunified administration for the entire island was setup./// In 1832, sweeping changes in property lawsopened the door to British settlers [...]

[Source: Matthiessen, C. Lexicogrammatical

Cartography, page 577]


13/41

Text 3- The formation of alluvial fans

After flash floods, desert streams from upland areas

carry heavy loads of silt, sand and rock fragments. As theyreach the flatter areas of desert basins, they slow down

and their waters may soak quickly into the basin floor.

Then, the streams drop their loads; first they drop the

heaviest materialthe stones, then [they drop] the sand

and finally [they drop] the silt. Soon, these short-lived

streams become choked by their own deposits and they

spread their load in all directions. After some time, fan or

cone-shaped deposits of gravel, sand, silt and clay are

formed around each valley or canyon outlet. These arecalled alluvial fans.

(Adapted from Sale, C. , Wilson, G. And Friedman B. 1980:

Our changing world. Bk 1.Melbourne: Longman Cheshire, 54)


14/41

Text 3- The formation of alluvial fans

After flash floods, desert streams from upland

areas carry heavy loads of silt, sand and rock fragments.///As they reach the flatter areas of desert basins,// they

slow down //and their waters may soak quickly into the

basin floor./// Then, the streams drop their loads; //first

theydrop the heaviest materialthe stones, //then [they

drop] the sand// and finally [they drop] the silt./// Soon,

these short-lived streams become choked by their own

deposits //and they spread their load in all directions.///

After some time, fan or cone-shaped deposits of gravel,

sand, silt and clay are formed around each valley orcanyon outlet. ///Theseare called alluvial fans.

(Adapted from Sale, C. , Wilson, G. And Friedman B. 1980:

Our changing world. Bk 1.Melbourne: Longman Cheshire, 54)


15/41

Text 3Observations and comments

Constant pattern of thematic progression and linear

theme pattern in clauses where there arecircumstances of temporal location as Marked topicalthemes (this is a process and a process happens intime).

Textual themes: conjunctive adjuncts of thesequential (first, finally) and temporal kind (soon,then)

Again thematic progression alone is not enough to

account for what is peculiar to Theme selection in thistext. The Marked Themes in initial position and thetextual sequential themes are best explained bysaying the method of development is sequential, i.e.,shows a sequence of events in time. This is differentfrom chronological, in that in the chronologicalmethod the events do not form a sequence.

SEQUENTIAL METHOD OF


16/41

SEQUENTIAL METHOD OF

DEVELOPMENT

Achieved through sequential/ temporalconjunctive adjuncts as textual theme (conjunctiveadjuncts indicating sequence in time) incomplementarity with...

Marked themes (Circumstances of temporallocation & dependent clauses of enhancement:temporal in Theme position)

Typical of process texts (how the fetus evolves

in the womb, for example) and instructional textsgiving instructions to carry out a certain process(recipes, instructions to assemble an appliance,instructions to do some handicraft kind of work, ofargumentative texts and of anticipations ofdevelopment in academic texts, e. g.)


17/41

Text 4 - Guidebook description of Singapore

On the Empress Place side of the river a

statue of Sir Stamford Raffles stands imperiouslyby the water. Its in the approximate place where

he first set foot on Singapore island. There is a

second statue of Raffles in front of the clock tower

by Empress Place. Nearby is the Supreme Courtand City Hall, across from which is the open

green of the Padang, site for cricket, hockey,

football and rugby matches. There are some

memorials to civilians who died because of theJapanese occupation and to Ling Bo Seng, a

resistance leader killed by the Japanese.


18/41

Text 4 - Guidebook description of Singapore

On the Empress Place side of the river a

statue of Sir Stamford Raffles stands imperiouslyby the water./// Its in the approximate place

where he first set foot on Singapore island.///

There is a second statue of Raffles in front of the

clock tower by Empress Place./// Nearbyis theSupreme Court and City Hall,// across from

which is the open green of the Padang, site for

cricket, hockey, football and rugby matches.///

There are some memorials to civilians who diedbecause of the Japanese occupation and to Ling

Bo Seng, a resistance leader killed by the

Japanese.


19/41


Existential there + be alternates in thematicposition with circumstances of spatial location asMarked Themes.

Thematic progression would seem to be of the

Linear/Zig-zag progression type, combined withDerived Themes. (= informing on what there is tosee in Singapore and the locations whereimportant sights are to be found).

Again thematic progression alone does notcapture whats peculiar to this text, namely, thehigh proportion of Circumstances of Spatiallocation as Marked Themes, best captured bysaying the method of development istopographical.

TOPOGRAPHICAL METHOD OF


20/41


DEVELOPMENT

Achieved through Circumstances of

spatial location in Thematic position as

Marked themes

Typical of guide-books, descriptions

of pictures, and any other text thatseeks to help interlocutor find his way

through a place, picture, scene, etc.



21/41


DEVELOPMENT:A further exampletext 5

Text 5 - The trail of meatThe land was cold and white and savage. Across it

there ran a thread of frozen waterway, with dark spruce forestlooming on either side. Along this waterway toiled a string ofwolfish dogs, hauling a sled of birch-bark. On the sled, along

with the camp-outfit, was lashed a long and narrow oblongbox. In front of the dogs, on wide snowshoes, toiled a man.Behind the sled in the box laid a third man, whose life was atan enda man whom the wild had beaten down andconquered. The bodies of the live men were covered withsoft fur and leather. Their faces were blurred and shapeless

under a coating of crystals from their frozen breath. Allaround them was silence which seemed to press upon themas water does upon a diver.

(excerpt from Jack London White Fang, in Martin,Matthiessen & Painter 1997, page 51)



22/41


DEVELOPMENT:A further exampletext 5

Text 5 - The trail of meatThe land was cold and white and savage./// Across it

there ran a thread of frozen waterway, with dark spruce forestlooming on either side./// Along this waterway toiled a stringof wolfish dogs, hauling a sled of birch-bark./// On the sled,

along with the camp-outfit, was lashed a long and narrowoblong box./// In front of the dogs, on wide snowshoes,toiled a man./// Behind the sled in the box laid a third man,//whose life was at an enda man whom the wild had beatendown and conquered./// The bodies of the live men werecovered with soft fur and leather. ///Their faces were blurred

and shapeless under a coating of crystals from their frozenbreath./// All around them was silence which seemed topress upon them //as water does upon a diver.

(excerpt from Jack London White Fang, in Martin,Matthiessen & Painter 1997, page 51)


23/41

Text 6Computer programs

Programs issue instructions to thecomputer. Many programs process files. Forexample, a message program can, by followingyour commands, create and[it: a messageprogram can] send a message and[it: a message

program can] manipulate a file of messages. Atext-editing program can follow commands tocreate a text-file and edit it, whilea text-formattingprogram can follow commands to format texts bycentering a heading, enumerating a list, italicizing

a name, etc. Programs are stored as files in thesystem.



24/41

Text 6Computer programs

Programsissue instructions to thecomputer./// Many programs process files./// Forexample, a message program can, by followingyour commands, create //and[it: a messageprogram can] send a message // and[it: a

message program can] manipulate a file ofmessages./// A text-editing program can followcommands to create a text-file // and [it can] editit, //whi lea text-formatting program can followcommands to format texts by centering a heading,

enumerating a list, italicizing a name, etc.///Programsare stored as files in the system.



25/41

Text 6Observation and comments

The contents of themes are names of the classof thing being considered (programs =

hyperonym) or of members of that class (different

kinds of programs = hyponyms)

Thematic progression could be said to be

completely constant, but this says little about the

organization of the text. We need to add that the

approach to the text seems to involve a movefrom the general class, to the more specific

members of the class and back to the class again.

The method of development is classi f icatory.

THE CLASSIFICATORY


26/41

THE CLASSIFICATORY


Achieved through topical unmarked

themes that refer to a class of entities

or to members of that class

Typical of instructional texts

presenting classifications ortaxonomies (school textbooks;

introductory textbooks to different

areas)

THE CLASSIFICATORY METHOD


27/41


OF DEVELOPMENTA further example - Text 7

The fuels of the body are carbohydrates,

fats and proteins. Carbohydrates are the principal

source of energy in most diets. Fats make up thesecond largest source of energy in most diets.

Proteins are essential for the growth and

rebuilding of tissue.

(Matthiessen, C. Lexicogrammaticalcartography, page 582)


28/41


OF DEVELOPMENT

A further example - Text 7

The fuels of the body are carbohydrates,

fats and proteins./// Carbohydratesare the

principal source of energy in most diets./// Fatsmake up the second largest source of energy in

most diets./// Proteinsare essential for the growth

and rebuilding of tissue.

(Matthiessen, C. Lexicogrammaticalcartography, page 582)


29/41

Text 8The numbat

The numbat is an unmistakeable slendermarsupial with a pointed muzzle and short erectears. The body is reddish brown, but the rump ismuch darker and has about six white bars acrossit. The eye has a black stripe through it and the

long bushy tail is yellowish. The toes are stronglyclawed and very effective in digging out termites.The tongue is extremely long as in all mammalianant or termite eaters. Unlike most marsupials, thenumbat is active during the day. It shelters in

hollow logs. It was once relatively common butnow lives only in a small area of S. W. South

Australia.(Adapted from The Concise Encyclopedia of

Australia 2nded Buderim, Queensland)


30/41

Text 8The numbat

The numbat is an unmistakeable slendermarsupial with a pointed muzzle and short erectears./// The body is reddish brown,// but therump is much darker // and (it) hasabout sixwhite bars across it./// The eye has a black stripe

through it // and the long bushy tail is yellowish./// The toes are strongly clawed and veryeffective in digging out termites./// The tongue isextremely long as in all mammalian ant or termiteeaters./// Unlike most marsupials, the numbat is

active during the day./// It shelters in hollowlogs./// Itwas once relatively common // but (it)now lives only in a small area of S. W. South

Australia.(Adapted from The Concise Encyclopedia of Australia 2nded

Buderim, Queensland)


31/41

Meronymy defined

Meronymy is the kind of semantic relation betweentwo or more lexical items in which one of them refersto an entity as a whole and the other to a part of thatentity.

Meronym is a lexical item that expresses a part of anentity as a whole: branch,root,leaf,floweraremeronyms of the lexical item tree. They are co-meronyms among themselves.

The difference between co-hyponyms and co-

meronyms can be seen if we think of fir,oak,andpine as hyponyms to tree and co-hyponymsamong themselves and branch, root, etc. ascomeronyms of tree.


32/41


The text could be said to have a constantpattern of Thematic progression, because all theThemes have the same or comparable referent(the numbat; the eye (= the eye of the numbat) ).

If we pay attention to the content of theThemes, we see the text progresses from thenumbat (= the whole) to parts of the numbatsbody (= parts of the whole). This pattern is not

captured by just saying the pattern of thematicprogression is constant but could be captured byreferring to a part-whole or meronymycmethodof development.

MERONYMYC (= part whole)


33/41

MERONYMYC (= part-whole)


Achieved through a combination of

unmarked themes that refer to the whole

of an entity and unmarked themes that

refer to parts of it;

Typical of encyclopaedic entries or

sections of textbooks (zoology, biology,

etc.) that describe plants, animals, etc.

The meronymic method of development


34/41

The meronymic method of developmentfurther exemplified

Text 9

The buffalo berry, also called rabbit berry or Nebraska

currant, is a 2 to 6 metre shrub of the oleaster family, with

whitish, somewhat thorny branches and small, oblong silvery

leaves. It is a very hardy shrub, growing wild among stream

banks in the Great Plains of North America. The fruit, borne inprofusion in August or September, is a currant-sized, scarlet-red

or golden-yellow berry with a tart flavour. The berries are used to

make a meat relish and jelly. Male and female flowers are borne

on separate plants, and in cultivation where fruit is desired it is

necessary to set out one male plant for every four to six females.

A smaller relative, the Canadian buffalo berry, grows to

about 2 meters high Its fruits are edible, but not highly

esteemed. (British Encyclopaedia, Micropedia, volume 2).


35/41

The meronymic method of development further

exemplified

Text 9

The buffalo berry, is a 2 to 6 meter shrub of the oleaster

family, with whitish, somewhat thorny branches and small,

oblong silvery leaves. ||| It is a very hardy shrub, || growing wild

among stream banks in the Great Plains of North America. ||| The fruit, is a

currant-sized, scarlet-red or golden-yellow berry with a tart

flavour. ||| The berries are used || to make a meat relish and

jelly. ||| Male and female flowersare borne on separate plants,

|| and in cultivation [[where fruit is desired it is necessary[[to set out one male plant for every four to six females]]. |||

A smaller relative, the Canadian buffalo berry,grows

to about 2 meters high ||| Its fruits are edible, ||| but

(they) are not highly esteemed. (British Encyclopaedia,

Micropedia, volume 2).

T t 9 Th t f th US ti i ti i


36/41

Text 9 The nature of the US participation in

the two world wars

Although the United States participated heavilyin World War I (WW I), the nature of that participation

was fundamentally different from what it became in

World War II (WW II). The earlier conflict was a one-

ocean war for the Navy and a one theatre war for theArmy; the latter was a two-ocean war for the Navy

and one of five major theatres for the Army. In both

wars a vital responsibility of the Navy was escort-of-

convoy and anti-submarine work, but in the 1917-

1919 conflict it never clashed with the enemy on the

surface; whilst between 1941-1945 it fought some

twenty major and countless minor engagements with

the Japanese.



37/41


the two world wars

Although the United States participatedheavily in World War I (WW I),// the nature of that

participation was fundamentally different from what

it became in World War II (WW II)./// The earlier

conflictwas a one-ocean war for the Navy and a onetheatre war for the Army;/// the latter was a two-

ocean war for the Navy and one of five major theatres

for the Army./// In both wars a vital responsibility of

the Navy was escort-of-convoy and anti-submarine

work,// but in the 1917-1919 conflict it never

clashed with the enemy on the surface;// whilst

between 1941-1945 it fought some twenty major and

countless minor engagements with the Japanese.



38/41


the two world wars

American soldiers who engaged in WW I weretaken overseas in transports and (they were) landed ondocks or in protected harbours; in WW II the art ofamphibious warfare had to be revived and developed,since assault troops were forced to fight their way ashore.

Airpower, in the early conflict, was still inchoate and

almost negligible; in the latter it was a determining factor.In WW I the battleship still reigned queen of the sea, asshe had, in changing forms, since the age of Drake.Battle Line fought with tactics inherited from the age ofsail; but in WW II the capital naval force was the air-craftcarrier task group, for which completely new tactics had tobe devised.

(Morrison, S. E. 1963: The two ocean war. Boston:Little Brown)



39/41


the two world wars

American soldiers who engaged in WW I weretaken overseas in transports //and (they were) landed ondocks or in protected harbours; // in WW II the art ofamphibious warfare had to be revived and developed,//since assault troops were forced to fight their wayashore./// Airpower, in the early conflict, was still inchoate

and almost negligible; // in the latter it was a determiningfactor./// In WW I the battleship still reigned queen of thesea, //as she had, in changing forms, since the age ofDrake./// Battle Line fought with tactics inherited from theage of sail; // but in WW II the capital naval force was theair-craft carrier task group, //for which completely newtactics had to be devised.

(Morrison, S. E. 1963: The two ocean war. Boston:Little Brown)

Text 9 Observations and comments on


40/41


Theme selection

Themes refer alternately to one or the otherwar (both the unmarked and the marked themes)

Thematic progression would seem derived(airpower and battle line for example), an some

isolated instances of constant pattern and linearat the very end.

If we pay attention to the alternation of theelements being compared in thematic position

(WWI and WWII), we see a pattern emerging thatcould be seen as a contrast ive/comparat ivemethod o f development.



41/41


Theme selection

The contrastive/ comparative method ofdevelopment is achieved through alternation

of the entities being compared in Thematic

position, whether as Unmarked or asMarked Theme. There could also be

conjunctive adjuncts like On the other

hand, On the contrary, etc.

Date post:	12-Oct-2015
Category:	Documents
Upload:	silviapoli2
View:	41 times
Download:	0 times

Thematic Progression (Theme/Rheme)

Documents