The Functional Sentence Perspective Method FSP The

The Functional Sentence Perspective Method (FSP) • The syntactic structure of a sentence is in part determined by the communicative function of its constituents, that is the FSP

FSP • dividing a sentenceсe into two sections: - the starting point of the statement (the theme); - the new information (the rheme) for whose sake the sentence has been uttered or written

FSP • studies an objective distribution of information among the elements of the sentence • the actual division of a sentence (актуальное членение предложения) into theme and the rheme

FSP • The Greek terms “the theme” and “the rheme” • the earlier terms “the logical subject” and “the logical predicate” • to avoid wrong associations

FSP • "psychological subject" and "psychological predicate", proposed by the German scholar H. Paul • lies beyond the sphere of linguistic investigation

FSP • The terms "lexical subject" and "lexical predicate“Prof. A. Smirnitsky • take the whole problem out of the sphere of syntactic study and to include it into that of lexicology

FSP 1. the interrelations between the grammatical structure of a sentence and its functional organization, its communicative dynamism 2. the system of means to thematize and rhematize sentence elements 3. varieties of word order

The theme and The rheme • the first element of a • the final elements sentence, usually the (predicates, objects, subject; adverbial modifiers) • carries thematic, i. e. • carry rhematic, i. e. known, familiar new or important information; information. • thematic • the rhematic elements tend to the strive to the end beginning of the sentence

Communicative varieties of word order 1. thematic word order rendered by the model theme – transition – rheme John has written a letter

Communicative varieties of word order 2. rhematic non-emotive word order rheme – transition - theme A woman entered the room • The indefinite article is a signal of new information

Communicative varieties of word order 3. rhematic emotive word order rheme –transition – theme Strange his wife was to him • Normally the predicate and predicatives do not precede the subject, but if they do, they become rhematic

Means of Rhematisation • To rhematise the subject: 1. Put it in the final position by inversion E. g. Followed a complete silence. Dort komt eine Dame. 2. Turn an active construction into a passive one E. g. A letter was written by John. 3. Transform a simple sentence into a complex one with a complement clause E. g. It’s John who has written a letter.