rminers, constructions with intensifying particles.
The difference between the actual division of sentences signalled by the difference in their word-order patterns can be most graphically illustrated by the simplest type of transformations. Cf. p align="justify"> The winner of the competition stood on the platform in the middle of the hall. ? On the platform in the middle of the hall stood the winner of the competition. Fred didn't notice the flying balloon. ? The one who didn't notice the flying balloon was Fred. Helen should be the first to receive her diploma. ? The first to receive her diploma should be Helen. p align="justify"> In all the cited examples, ie both base sentences and their transforms, the rheme (expressed either by the subject or by an element of the predicate group) is placed towards the end of the sentence, while the theme is positioned at the beginning of it. This kind of positioning the components of the actual division corresponds to the natural development of thought from the starting point of communication to its semantic centre, or, in common parlance, from the "known data" to the "unknown (new) data" ;. Still, in other contextual conditions, the reversed order of positioning the actual division components is used, which can be shown by the following illustrative transformations:
It was unbelievable to all of them. ? Utterly unbelievable it was to all of them. Now you are speaking magic words, Nancy. ? Magic words you are speaking now, Nancy. You look so well! ? How well you look! p align="justify"> It is easily seen from the given examples that the reversed order of the actual division, ie the positioning of the rheme at the beginning of the sentence, is connected with emphatic speech.
Among constructions with introducers, the there-pattern provides for the rhematic identification of the subject without emotive connotations. Cf.: p align="justify"> Tall birches surrounded the lake. ? There were tall birches surrounding the lake. A loud hoot came from the railroad. ? There came a loud hoot from the railroad. p align="justify"> Emphatic discrimination of the rheme expressed by various parts of the sentence is achieved by constructions with the anticipatory it. Cf.: p align="justify"> Grandma gave them a moment's deep consideration. ? It was a moment's deep consideration that Grandma gave them. She had just escaped something simply awful. ~ * It was something simply awful that she had just escaped. At that moment Laura joined them. ? It was Laura who joined them at that moment. p align="justify"> Syntactic patterns of contrastive complexes are used to expose the rheme of the utterance in cases when special accuracy of distinction is needed. This is explained by the fact that the actual division as such is always based on some sort of antithesis or "contraposition" (see further), which in an ordinary speech remains implicit. Thus, a syntactic contrastive complex is employed to make explicative the inner contrast inherent in the actual division by virtue of its functional nature. This can be shown on pairs of nominatively cognate examples of antithetic constructions where each member-construction will expose its own contrastively presented element. Cf.: p align="justify"> The costume is meant not for your cousin, but for you.
The costume, not the frock, is meant for you, my dear.
The strain told not so much on my visitor than on myself.
The strain of the situation, not the relaxation of it, was
what surprised me.
Determiners, among them the articles, used as means of forming certain patterns of actual division, divide their functions so that the definite determiners serve as identifiers of the theme while the indefinite determiners serve as identifiers of the rheme . Cf.: p align="justify"> The man walked up and down the platform. - A man walked up and down the platform. The whole book was devoted to the description of a tiny island on the Pacific. p align="justify"> A whole book is needed to describe that tiny island on the Pacific. I'm sure Nora's knitting needles will suit you. - I'm sure any knitting needles will suit you. p align="justify"> Intensifying particles identify the rheme, commonly imparting emotional colouring to the whole of the utterance. Cf.: p align="justify"> Mr. Stores had a part in the general debate. ? Even Mr. Stores had a part in the general debate. Then he sat down in one of the armchairs. ? Only then did he sit down in one of the armchairs. We were impressed by what we heard and saw. ? We were so impressed by what we heard and saw. p align="justify"> As for intonation as a means of realising the actual division, it might appear that its sphere is relatively limited, being conf...
