David Rose wrote to the Sysfling list on 24 June 2014 at 21:07:
If theme is a clause rank system, whose textual function is point of departure for a message, and a message is realised by a finite ranking clause +/- dependent clauses, and an unmarked Theme is realised (in English) by the Subject of a clause, then a prepositional phrase or dependent clause preceding the Subject of the primary clause functions textually as a marked Theme of the message (if the duke gives anything to my aunt, it'll be that teapot; from the duke, my aunt received a teapot). An embedded (downranked) clause may function as Subject (what the duke gave my aunt was that teapot). (IFG editions notwithstanding:)
Blogger Comment:
Themes may be unmarked or marked, but not both; i.e. marked^unmarked is not a structural configuration of (topical) Theme. When a marked Theme — Adjunct or Complement — is chosen in a declarative clause, the Subject does not function as (unmarked) Theme. For example:
from the duke
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my aunt
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received
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a teapot
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Adjunct
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Subject
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Finite/Predicator
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Complement
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Theme
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Rheme
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||
