Thematic structure
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Thematic structure is a term in linguistics. When people talk, there are purposes in three separable parts of utterances—Speech Act, Propositional Content and Thematic Structure. Because speaking is cooperative, in order that the speaking can be effective in the conversation, speakers have to pay attention to their listeners’ knowledge, mental activities and so on. Speakers can assume that listeners know or do not know what speakers are talking about.
According to Halliday, the speakers’ judgments about the listeners’ current mental states are reflected in what is called thematic structure. Thematic structure has three main functions:
- To convey given information and new information
- Subject and predicate
- Frame and insert
