THE TEXTUAL METAFUNCTION OF THE MESSAGE: IDENTIFYING THEMES IN SPECIAL THEMATIC STRUCTURES
The Textual Metafunction of the Message: Identifying Themes in Special Thematic Structures

Summary/Abstract: In this paper we analyze language from the point of view of textual metafunction, trying to see how speakers construct their message. Our concern is not with the basic types of Themes, but with special thematic structures. We begin by examining ways in which the speaker can manipulate the structure of the message in order to establish specific kinds of starting points. The special constructions that we analyze in this paper are: Thematic equatives, Predicated Themes, Thematized comment, Preposed Themes, Themes in Passive clauses, Theme in clause complexes, pointing out the methods of identifying them.

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