The Theme–Topic Interface
Evidence from English
The Theme-Topic Interface (TTI) gives a useful catalogue of approaches to the concept Theme in the analysis of Natural Language. The book is written with both theoretical and descriptive goals and aims to synthesize and
revise current approaches to pragmatic functions. In addition, TTI explains that different thematic constructions in natural language reveal different discourse strategies related to point of view and speaker subjectivity, which shows the mutually supportive role of form and discourse function vis-á-vis each other. The book’s value is enhanced by the use of natural language corpora, the Lancaster IBM Spoken English Corpus (LIBMSEC), and by running multivariate statistical tests, taking into account both segmental and suprasegmental features. The bibliography lists more than 600 publications providing ample material for further research into an integrated theory of language and its use. The indexes provide easy access to most authors mentioned and to the major concepts covered.
revise current approaches to pragmatic functions. In addition, TTI explains that different thematic constructions in natural language reveal different discourse strategies related to point of view and speaker subjectivity, which shows the mutually supportive role of form and discourse function vis-á-vis each other. The book’s value is enhanced by the use of natural language corpora, the Lancaster IBM Spoken English Corpus (LIBMSEC), and by running multivariate statistical tests, taking into account both segmental and suprasegmental features. The bibliography lists more than 600 publications providing ample material for further research into an integrated theory of language and its use. The indexes provide easy access to most authors mentioned and to the major concepts covered.
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series, 71] 2001. xxiv, 438 pp.
Publishing status: Available
Published online on 21 October 2008
Published online on 21 October 2008
© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Table of Contents
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List of Tables | p. xiii
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List of Figures | p. xv
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Abbreviations and Conventions | p. xvii
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Acknowledgements | p. xxi
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Foreword | p. xxiii
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Part I. The Theme — Topic Interface
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1. Introduction | p. 3
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2. An Evaluation of Three Interpretations of Communicative Categories | p. 15
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Part II. Previous Studies: A Sympathetic Critique
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3. The Prague School | p. 61
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4. Systemic Functional Grammar | p. 89
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5. Functional Grammar | p. 139
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Part III. A Corpus-Based Analysis of Syntactic Theme in PresE
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6. Theory and Methods | p. 173
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7. Results and Discussion | p. 211
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8. Summary, Conclusions and Further Research | p. 347
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Appendix | p. 359
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Notes | p. 363
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Name Index | p. 425
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Subject Index | p. 429
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Wang, Zhong, Weiwei Fan & Alex Chengyu Fang
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Sun, Kun
2019. Teaching English-Chinese textual translation strategies. Babel. Revue internationale de la traduction / International Journal of Translation 65:2 ► pp. 286 ff.
Wiliński, Jarosław
Davies, Eirian C.
Fernandez-Vest, M.M.Jocelyne & Helle Metslang
O’Grady, Gerard
Zhang, Daqun
Yao, Xinyue
2016. Cleft constructions in Hong Kong English. English World-Wide. A Journal of Varieties of English 37:2 ► pp. 197 ff.
Tizón-Couto, David
2015. A corpus-based account of left-detached items in the recent history of English. English Text Construction 8:1 ► pp. 21 ff.
Tizón-Couto, David
2016. Left-dislocated strings in Modern English epistolary prose. In Outside the Clause [Studies in Language Companion Series, 178], ► pp. 203 ff.
Forcadell, Montserrat & Jaume Llopis
Gómez González, María de los Ángeles & Ana Patricia García Varela
2014. Discourse-organizational patterns in English and Spanish. Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics 27:1 ► pp. 87 ff.
Gómez González, María de los Ángeles, Francisco José Ruiz de Mendoza Ibáñez, Francisco Gonzálvez-García & Angela Downing
2014. Introduction. Plotting functional-cognitive space. In Theory and Practice in Functional-Cognitive Space [Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics, 68], ► pp. 1 ff.
Ruiz de Mendoza Ibáñez, Francisco José & María de los Ángeles Gómez González
2014. Constructing discourse and discourse constructions. In Theory and Practice in Functional-Cognitive Space [Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics, 68], ► pp. 295 ff.
Speyer, Augustin & Anita Fetzer
2014. The coding of discourse relations in English and German argumentative discourse. In The Pragmatics of Discourse Coherence [Pragmatics & Beyond New Series, 254], ► pp. 87 ff.
Speyer, Augustin & Anita Fetzer
2018. “Well would you believe it, I have failed the exam again”. Pragmatics and Society 9:1 ► pp. 26 ff.
Fu, Xiaoli
Hannay, Mike & María De los Ángeles Gómez-González
Cornillie, Bert & Marlén Izquierdo
2011. Review of Gómez González, Mackenzie & González Álvarez (2008): Languages and cultures in contrast and comparison. Functions of Language 18:2 ► pp. 249 ff.
Butler, Christopher S.
Gómez González, María de los Ángeles
2005. Review of Downing (2003): Tematización en el español hablado. Spanish in Context 2:2 ► pp. 260 ff.
Gómez González, María de los Ángeles
2009. Review of Erteschik-Shir (2007): Information structure: The syntax-discourse interface. Functions of Language 16:1 ► pp. 123 ff.
Gómez González, María de los Ángeles
Herriman, Jennifer
Herriman, Jennifer
2024. The thematic organization of consumer safety instructions in English. English Text Construction 17:1 ► pp. 1 ff.
Combettes, Bernard
Combettes, Bernard & Sophie Prevost
Rose, David
2001. Review article:Some variations in Theme across languages. Functions of Language 8:1 ► pp. 109 ff.
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Subjects
Main BIC Subject
CF: Linguistics
Main BISAC Subject
LAN009000: LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / General