Choice of Theme-rheme in Political News Reports in the Malawian English-Language Printed Media

Abstract

Researchers on Theme-rheme agree that choices on Theme-rheme are functional and not arbitrary. There is lack of agreement, however, on what  motivates the choice. Studies in political discourse claim that the motivation for Theme is ideological while studies in text grammar claim that the motivation for Theme is textbased organisation. What is more, it has been observed that different varieties of English exhibit different patterns of thematic choices. This article uses Systemic Functional Grammar to assess the motivation for choosing Theme and Rheme in political news  published in the Malawian English-Language printed media. Data from four newspapers published during the rise to power of Malawi’s second state President, Bakili Muluzi, was used to assess the choice of Theme and Rheme. The article argues that Theme-Rheme choices, consciously made or not, are context-dependent and motivated by a number of complex factors.

Keywords: Theme, Rheme, Ideology, Thematic Progression, Semantic Roles