Towards multiple hyperTheme: Theme beyond the clause

Abstract

Abstract Theme, the building block for the Textual Metafunction in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), is itself an element at the clause rank. Its function and application, however, can only be fully recognized in the unfolding discourse. This article extends multiple Theme to the discourse level and proposes the notion of multiple hyperTheme that exists beyond the clause, with a view to developing the system of Theme in SFL and strengthening its role in discourse analysis. The article begins with an overview of the historical development of Theme, primarily reflecting on hyperTheme initiated by Daneš (1974, Functional sentence perspective and the organization of the text. In Daneš František (ed.), Papers on functional sentence perspective, 106–128. The Hague: Mouton) and developed by Martin (1992a, English text: System and structure. Philadelphia: John Benjamins) and Martin and Rose (2003, Working with discourse: Meaning beyond the clause. London: Continuum). By redefining hyperTheme and suggesting that it should not just be confined to the ideational dimension, this article introduces multiple hyperTheme which may cover the three strands of meaning (ideational, interpersonal and textual), offering a more delicate system of hyperTheme in SFL. The complexities and delicacies of different elements within the category of multiple hyperTheme are illustrated in its various patterns such as Interpersonal ^ Ideational, Textual ^ Ideational, Textual ^ Interpersonal ^ Ideational, Textual ^ Textual/Interpersonal ^ Ideational and Interpersonal/Textual ^ Ideational. Furthermore, the subtle configuration of the interpersonal and the ideational meanings in one grammatical sentence may blur the distinction between multiple hyperTheme and simple hyperTheme, especially when there is no obvious textual element involved.