A Critical Review of
Theme and Rheme in the Thematic
Organization of Text:
Implications for Teaching Academic
Writing
By:
Hendra
1.
INTRODUCTION
Systemic-functional grammar,
which is first develop by Michael Halliday in 1960s, is concerned primarily with the choices that are made available to
speakers of a language by their grammatical systems. These choices are assumed
to be meaningful and relate speakers' intentions to the concrete forms of a
language. Meanings
are, in this case, divided into three broad areas which are so-called
metafunctions namely, the ideational, the interpersonal and the textual.
The ideational is grammar for
representing the world, the interpersonal is grammar for enacting social
relationships (asking, asserting, ordering), and the textual is grammar for binding linguistic elements together into
broader texts (via pronominalizations, grammatical topicalization,
thematization, expressing the newsworthiness of information, etc.).
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemic_functional_grammar)
The latest is textual. It is concerned with theme and theme, theme
is “what the clause is going to be about” and Rheme is “that is what I am
saying about it” (Gerot and Wignell: 1994). According to Eggins (1994), Theme is
as the element which serves as “the starting-point for the message”; it is what
the clause is going to be about” and Rheme as the part of the clause in which
the Theme is developed.
Meanwhile, Martin. et al (1997) say that Theme is point of
departure of clauses as message; it is local context of clause as a piece of
text and it is initial position in the clause and Rheme is defined as non-Theme
where the presentation moves after the point of departure, what is presented in
the local context set up by Theme. Its position follows initial position.
The
choice of Theme for any individual clause will generally relate to the way
information is being developed over the course of the whole text. It is Thematic
organization which makes to the cohesive development of text.
2.
SUMMARY
Lixia Wang, who has a Masters Degree
of Education (TESOL) from the University
of South Australia , is a Lecturer of
Department of English Language, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics , China
She analyzes theme and Rheme in the
text written by a student named Bai, a sophomore majoring in Politics from South-Eastern University
in China
She begins by overviewing the
theoretical framework underlying the approach, discusses the definition of
Theme and Rheme, and goes on to examine three common problems resulting from
misuse of Theme and Rheme and its affect on Thematic Progression in academic
writing viz the problem of the brand new Theme, the problem of the double Rheme
and the problem of the empty Rheme. She uses a university student’s writing as
an example, and demonstrates the application of the approach to diagnosing
language weaknesses in the student’s writing and to show how textual cohesion
could be improved.
The last, she concludes by exploring
the pedagogical implications of the relationship between Theme and Rheme.
3.
ANALYSIS OF ARGUMENTS/INTERPRETATIONS
As mentioned in the previous points
above that her purpose to explore the insights concerning the relationship
between Theme and Rheme derived from theory of Systemic-Functional Grammar,
with the aim to improve cohesion in academic texts and to apply the insights
gained from observing patterns of Theme and Rheme relations in students’
writings to help improve cohesion at the discourse level, here I should provide
her finding and her analysis.
Based on her finding that a text
written by Bai’, she finds some inadequacy texts and lacks in thematic
progression. According to her, there are only four instances of
cross-referential Thematic progression in Bai’s text. At these four points new
information is sited in Rheme position and becomes the Theme of the next clause.
She believes that the overall effect is of a stream of disconnected ideas,
which contributes significantly to the sense that the text is lacking in the
development of ideas.
She also finds the problem in terms of
Thematic progression, she argues that student Bai overuses constant
progression, where the same Theme is chosen over several clauses or sentences. Moreover, she finds
the problems of misuse “Theme and Rheme” in Bai’s text. There are two instances
of brand new Themes in her text. One occurred in the second clause.
Eventually, she finds that the
cohesion in students’ writings can be improved dramatically if attention is
given to Theme selection and Thematic progression in texts.
4.
EVALUATION
This section contains an evaluation of the aforementioned
research above. Frankly speaking, it is quite interesting and challenging to
observe such this research since it discusses the thematic progression in the
academic writing and it is hard for me to find her weaknesses. Firstly, her arguments
are relatively reasonable but less supporting detail. She critically elaborates
and argues her findings by showing the points to be reviewed. Secondly, after
she finds the problems and analyzes it, then she copes with it systematically.
And the last, she provides the solution in order to make text cohesion and coherent
in Thematic progression.
However, I find some weaknesses in her writing
organization.
1.
In
introduction stage, she does not anchor the issue to the specific one rather
than discuss the purpose of the research. It is the most important part of the
research. It formally introduces the research study and explicitly presents
what the research topic is all about as well as sets the tone of research. (Young:
2003)
2.
She
misses the methodology that used in her research. It is one of the most important
parts of a research. It consists of set rules and procedures that require
consistent application (Young: 2003). However, she only discusses it a little in
introduction stage and I believe it is inadequate for research writing
organization.
3.
In
my viewpoint, to elaborate Theme and Rheme, she should write clearly in detail
where Theme and Rheme are. By providing the Theme and Rheme in table analysis,
it would be clearer to identify them in every element. (Eggins: 1994)
4.
CONCLUSION
This critical review has evaluated the
article entitled “Theme and Rheme in the Thematic Organization of Text:
Implications for Teaching Academic Writing” written by Lixia Wang, which
elaborates and analyzes the insights concerning the relationship between Theme
and Rheme derived from theory of Systemic-Functional Grammar, with the aim to
improve cohesion in academic texts.
Having analyzed her article, it can be inferred
that the arguments show the argumentative writing without supporting details. Therefore,
these points weaken the author’s arguments and reduce her credibility.
Works
Cited
Eggins,
Suzanne. (1994). An Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics. London
Gerot,
Linda and Wignell, Wignell (1995). Making Sense of Functional Grammar. Australia : Gerd Stabler – Antipodean Educational
Enterprise
Martin,
J R, et. al (1997). Working with
Functional Grammar. Great Britain :
Arnold
Young,
C. Felina. (2003). Fundamentals of Research Writing made Simple. Davao City , Philippines
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemic_functional_grammar)
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