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Functional sentence perspective means in English

The utterance as opposed to the sentence is the unit of speech. The main categories of the utterance from the point of view of its informative structure are considered to be the theme and the rheme. They are the main components of the Functional Sentence Perspective (FSP) – actual division of the sentence (most language analysts stick to the term “sentence” but actually they mean “utterance”).

In English, there is a “standard” word order of Subject + Verb + Object: The cat ate the rat – here we have a standard structure (N1 + V + N2). However, there are numerous other ways in which the semantic content of the sentence can be expressed:

The rat was eaten by the cat.

It was the cat that ate the rat.

It was the rat that the cat ate.

What the cat did was ate the rat.

The cat, it ate the rat.

Which of these options is actually selected by the writer or the speaker will depend on the context in which the utterance occurs and the importance of the information. One important consideration is whether the information has already been introduced before or it is assumed to be known to the reader or listener. Such information is referred to as given information or the theme. It contrasts with information which is introduced for the first time and which is known as new information or the rheme.

Informative structure of the utterance is one of the topics that still attract the attention of language analysts nowadays. It is well recognized that the rheme marking devices are:

Position in the sentence. As a rule new information in English generally comes last: The cat atethe rat.

The use of the indefinite article. However, sometimes it is impossible (as in 1): A gentlemanis waiting for you.

15.Communicative type of the sentences and their classifications as an issue.

The sentence is a communicative unit, therefore the primary classification of sentences must be based on the communicative principle. This principle is formulated in traditional grammar as the 'purpose of communication'.

The purpose of communication, by definition, refers to the sentence as a whole, and the structural features connected with the expression of this sentential function belong to the fundamental, constitutive qualities of the sentence as a lingual unit.

In accord with the purpose of communication three cardinal sentence-types have long been recognised in linguistic tradition: first, the declarative sentence; second, the imperative (inducive) sentence; third, the interrogative sentence. These communicative sentence-types stand in strict opposition to one another, and their inner properties of form and meaning are immediately correlated with the corresponding features of the listener's responses.

Thus, the declarative sentence expresses a statement, either affirmative or negative, and as such stands in systemic syntagmatic correlation with the listener's responding signals of attention, of appraisal (including agreement or disagreement), of fellow-feeling. Cf.:

'I think,' he said, 'that Mr. Desert should be asked to give us his reasons for publishing that poem.' � 'Hear, hear!' said the К. С. (J. Galsworthy). 'We live very quietly here, indeed we do; my niece here will tell you the same.' � 'Oh, come, I'm not such a fool as that,' answered the squire (D. du Maurier).

The imperative sentence expresses inducement, either affirmative or negative. That is, it urges the listener, in the form of request or command, to perform or not to perform a certain action. As such, the imperative sentence is situationally connected with the corresponding 'action response' (Ch. Fries), and lingually is systemically correlated with a verbal response showing that the inducement is either complied with, or else rejected. Cf.:

'Let's go and sit down up there, Dinny.' � 'Very well' (J. Galsworthy). 'Then marry me.' � 'Really, Alan, I never met anyone with so few ideas' (J. Galsworthy). 'Send him back!' he said again. � 'Nonsense, old chap' (J. Aldridge).

 

 


30.06.2015; 20:16
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