THEME

AND
RHEME
 DEFINITION OF THEME

 The starting point of the clause

message
 Realized in English by first position
in a clause
 Must contain a participant, process
or circumstance
 Includes any element preceding
the first participant, process or
circumstance

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 EXAMPLE

 Andi kicks the ball

 Her bike is broken

In these examples, theme (Andi and Her bike) is in the initial position.
This is the most common position for theme in English. Due to SVO
(subject-verb-object) structure of a typical English sentence, theme is
often the subject of the sentence

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 THE FUNCTION OF THEME

the main function of the theme is

to signal the relationship between
the thought in the speaker’s mind
and its expression in discourse

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 THE FUNCTION OF THEME

IN Theme helps us understand the way in which the message is organized,

TEXT and it is a major device that helps us understand a text as coherent.

IN
Theme helps in understanding the starting point of the
CLAUSE
message.

IN Theme helps us understand some of generic conventions which exist in

GENRE a given genre.

Theme choices such as “One major effect of World War II”, “Another
IN CITES
effect of the war”, “A third consequence of the war” as hyper-Themes of
HYPER
a history text.
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 1. Ideational/Topical Theme

THE 2. Textual theme

TYPES 3. Interpersonal theme

OF
THEME 4. Theme in interrogative sentence

5. Theme in imperative sentence

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 THE TYPES OF THEME
1. Ideational/Topical Theme

a. Unmarked Topical Theme

 (keyword, theme = subject)
 usually identified as the subject of the clause
 found in the form of nominal group (pronoun, proper, or
common noun as head) and nominalization.

e.g.
 The boys play football together [the boys = subject (common noun)]
 Lea eat the food deliciously [Lea = subject (proper noun)]

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 THE TYPES OF THEME

b. Marked Topical Theme

 (keyword, theme ≠ subject)
 found in the form of complement or circumstantial adjunct
e.g.
 Quietly Jack walks in the dark
 Under the table Bryce put her kitten

Note: Quietly and Under the table are theme but not subject

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 THE TYPES OF THEME
2. Textual theme

Textual Theme Characteristic words use Example

Continuatives Yes, no, well, oh, now, Okay, right, of course (in the Okay, I will go right now. (okay =
beginning of the sentence) theme)

Conjunctive Additive (moreover, in addition, besides), adversative In addition, she got me wrong.
Adjuncts (however, conversely) concessive (nevertheless,
(in addition = theme)
despite that), causal (therefore, as result)

Conjunctive Paratactic (and, or, nor, either, neither, but, yet. So, Before she goes, I ask her to live.
then, for, etc.), Hypotactic (when, while, before, after,
(before = theme)
until, because, if, although, unless, since, etc.)

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 THE TYPES OF THEME

3. Interpersonal theme

Modal Adjunct: Finite:

Vocative:
Maybe, usually, perhaps, Do, does, did, can,
Darling, Honey, Jane
just,……….. ……….

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 THE TYPES OF THEME

4. Theme in interrogative sentence

 WH questions, theme = WH words.

Where are you?

What are you doing right now?

 Yes/No questions, theme = Finite + subject

Are you busy right now?

Would you like some coffee?
Could you help me, please?

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 THE TYPES OF THEME

5. Theme in imperative sentence

e.g.

 Don’t look at me!

 Listen me carefully!
 Watch out your step!

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 RHEME

Rheme is the
things that the
speaker want to
say about the
In other word
theme
rheme serves the
extended
Rheme is the information
part in which toward to the
the theme is theme
developed

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 EXAMPLE
e.g.

Andi kicks the ball.

Her bike is broken.
Mariah sings the song.

In the example we can see that Andi, Her bike, and Mariah is a subject of the sentence
and the theme of the sentence. While the whole sentence after theme is indicate as the
rheme. So from the example, the rhemes are: kicks the ball, is broken, and sings the song.

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 ANALYZING THEME AND RHEME

THEME RHEME

Element which come first in the clause The rest of the clause. Typically contain new
information

What the clause is going to be about What I am saying about

Looks backwards, relating the current Points both backwards and forward by
message to the previous one picking up on information which is already
available and adding to it and by presenting
new information

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 EXAMPLE

THEME RHEME

Well, as expected, he Won the game

Susan Love to feed her cat

Andy and Luna Wen to Jakarta together

Would you Like some tea?

Under the tree Bryan think about his future.

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THANKS!