Cover not available

Article published In: Language, Context and Text
Vol. 1:1 (2019) ► pp.121–147

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

The language of educational linguistics in Hispanic Latin America

Choices of Theme in an emerging field

ORCiD logo with link | Universidad de O’Higgins
Published online: 4 February 2019
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/langct.00006.nav
Abstract
This study aims to identify patterns of the system of theme in Spanish in 28 educational linguistics’ articles, an emerging field in Latin America. Results show a high number of textual and elaborated interpersonal Themes (especially in Conclusions), alongside a frequent choice of marked Themes (especially in Introductions) which adjust thematic strings, while the Subject is usually explicit and previous to the verb. Educationally-oriented articles tend to use more interpersonal Themes and preposed explicit Subjects, in what seems to be a disciplinary validation struggle. This research can help understand the construction of a new disciplinary discourse, connecting semantic and lexicogrammatical patterns to epistemological frameworks, while providing evidence to the realization of Theme and Subject across stages, disciplines and languages.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical framework
    • 2.1The system of theme in SFL
    • 2.2Theme and discourse
    • 2.3Types of Theme
  • 3.Corpus and methodology
  • 4.Results and discussion
    • 4.1Theme
    • 4.2Subject
  • 5.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (42)
References
Arús Hita, Jorge. 2010. On Theme in English and Spanish: A comparative study. In Elizabeth Swain (ed.), Thresholds and potentialities of systemic functional linguistics: Multilingual, multimodal and other specialised discourses, 23–48. Trieste: EUT Edizioni Università di Trieste.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Atkinson, Dwight. 1999. Scientific discourse in sociohistorical context: The philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London, 1675–1975. Mahwah, NJ & London: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ávila Reyes, Natalia. 2017. Postsecondary writing studies in Hispanic Latin America: Intertextual dynamics and intellectual influence. London Review of Education 15(1). 21–37. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. In press. Locales, regionales y cosmopolitas: Análisis intertextual de artículos sobre escritura universitaria en América Latina [Locals, regionals and cosmopolitans: Intertextual analysis of research articles on academic writing in Latin America]. In Regina C. Pereira (ed.), Escrita na Universidade: Panoramas e desafios na América Latina. João Pessoa: EDUFPB/Ideia.
Bazerman, Charles. 1988. Shaping written knowledge: The genre and activity of the experimental article in science. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 1999. The languages of Edison’s Light. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bazerman, Charles, Natalia A. Reyes, Ana V. Bork, Francini Poliseli-Correa, Vera L. Cristovão, Mónica T. Ladino & Elizabeth N. Cardona. 2017. Intellectual orientations of studies of higher education writing in Latin America. In Sylvie Plane, Charles Bazerman, Fabienne Rondelli, Christiane Donahue, Arthur N. Applebee, Catherine Boré, Paula Carlino, Martine M. Larruy, Paul Rogers & David Russell (eds.), Research on writing: Multiple perspectives, 281–297. Fort Collins, Colorado: The WAC Clearinghouse & CREM.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Caffarel, Alice. 2006. A systemic functional grammar of French: From grammar to discourse. London: Continuum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cegarra, Juan. 2015. La categoría de Tema en la lingüística sistémico-funcional: Discusión sobre su realización clausular y su proyección textual [The category of Theme in systemic functional linguistics: Discussion on clause realization and textual projection]. Signo & Seña 271. 107–141.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Eggins, Susan. 2004. An introduction to systemic functional linguistics. London: Frances Pinter.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Espindola, Elaine. 2016. A systemic functional translation analysis of thematic structure: Directing attention to Yoda’s linguistic manifestation. Word 62(1). 22–34. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Firbas, Jan. 1992. Functional sentence perspective in written and spoken communication. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fleiss, Joseph L., Bruce Levin & Myunghee C. Paik. 2003. Statistical methods for rates and proportions (3rd edition). New Jersey: Wiley. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fries, Peter H. 1995. Themes, methods of development, and texts. In Ruqaiya Hasan & Peter H. Fries (eds.), On Subject and Theme: A discourse functional perspective, 317–360. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ghio, Elsa, & Fernández & María Delia. 2005. Manual de lingüística sistémico-funcional: El enfoque de M. A. K. Halliday y R. Hasan: Aplicaciones a la lengua española [Systemic functional textbook: M. A. K. Halliday & R. Hasan’s perspective: Applications to Spanish]. Santa Fe: UNL.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gouveia, Carlos & Leila Barbara. 2004. Marked or unmarked, that is not the question. The question is: Where’s the Theme? Ilha do Desterro 461. 155–178.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Halliday, Michael A. K. 2004. On the language of physical science. In The language of science, volume 5 in the collected works of M. A. K. Halliday, 140–158. London: Continuum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Halliday, Michael A. K. & Christian M. I. M. Matthiessen. 2014. Halliday’s introduction to functional grammar (4th edition). London & New York: Routledge. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hyland, Ken. 2004. Disciplinary discourses: Social interactions in academic writing. Michigan: The University of Michigan Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2005. Metadiscourse: Exploring interaction in writing. London: Continuum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Klein, Julie. 1996. Crossing boundaries: Knowledge, disciplinarities, and interdisciplinarities. Virginia: The University Press of Virginia.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lavid, Julia, Jorge A. Hita & Juan R. Zamorano-Mansilla. 2010. Systemic-functional grammar of Spanish: A contrastive account with English. London: Equinox.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Martin, James R. 2004. Metafunctional profile of the grammar of Tagalog. In Alice Caffarel, James R. Martin & Christian M. I. M. Matthiessen (eds.), Language typology: A functional perspective, 255–304. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Martin, James R. & Peter R. R. White. 2005. The language of evaluation: Appraisal in English. New York: Palgrave MacMillan. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Matthiessen, Christian M. I. M. 1995. THEME as an enabling resource in ideational “knowledge” construction. In Mohsen Ghadessy (ed.), Thematic development in English texts, 20–55. London & New York: Frances Pinter.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Matthiessen, Christian M. I. M., Kazuhiro Teruya & Marvin Lam. 2010. Key terms in systemic functional linguistics. London & New York: Continuum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Montemayor-Borsinger, Ann. 2005. Nueva taxonomía de elementos temáticos: Aplicación al análisis de evolución autoral en artículos de investigación [New taxonomy of thematic elements: Applications for the analysis of authorial evolution in research articles]. Signo & Seña 141. 213–232.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
. 2009. Tema: Una perspectiva funcional de la organización del discurso (Theme: A functional perspective for discourse organization). Buenos Aires: Biblos.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Moss, Gillian. 2009. Selección de Tema en español en el registro periodístico [Theme choice in Spanish journalism register]. In Actas del V Congreso Internacional de ALSFAL. Mar del Plata: UNMdP, 2–7 November, 2009.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Navarro, Federico & Natalia A. Reyes. 2014. La inclusión de voces en artículos de investigación en español sobre escritura: Un estudio desde la teoría de la valoración [The inclusion of voices in research articles in Spanish about writing: An appraisal theory study]. Paper presented at the 41st international systemic-functional congress, Mendoza, 14–19 April 2014.
Navarro, Federico, Natalia A. Reyes, Mónica T. Ladino, Vera L. Cristovão, Maria E. W. Moritz, Elizabeth N. Cardona & Charles Bazerman. 2016. Panorama histórico y contrastivo de los estudios sobre lectura y escritura en educación superior publicados en América Latina [Historical and contrastive panorama of higher education reading and writing studies published in Latin America]. Signos 49(S1). 100–126. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Quiroz, Beatriz. 2017. The verbal group. In Tom Bartlett & Gerard O’Grady (eds.), The Routledge handbook of systemic functional linguistics, 301–318. London: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ravelli, Louise J. 1995. A dynamic perspective: Implications for metafunctional interaction and an understanding of Theme. In Ruqaiya Hasan & Peter H. Fries (eds.), On subject and theme: A discourse functional perspective, 187–234. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Swales, John M. 2004. Research genres: Exploration and applications. Glasgow: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Taboada, Maite. 1995. Theme markedness in English and Spanish: A systemic-functional approach. Madrid: Universidad Complutense de Madrid.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Taboada, Maite & Julia Lavid. 2003. Rhetorical and thematic patterns in scheduling dialogues. Functions of Language 10(2). 147–178. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Tapia Ladino, Mónica, Natalia A. Reyes, Federico Navarro & Charles Bazerman. 2016. Milestones, disciplines and the future of initiatives of reading and writing in higher education: An analysis from key scholars in the field in Latin America. Ilha do Desterro 69(3). 189–208. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Teruya, Kazuhiro. 2004. Metafunctional profile of the grammar of Japanese. In Alice Caffarel, James R. Martin & Christian M. I. M. Matthiessen (eds.), Language typology: A functional perspective, 185–254. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Valle, Ellen. 1999. A collective intelligence: The life sciences in the Royal Society as a scientific discourse community (1665–1965). Turku: University of Turku.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Vallejos Llobet, Patricia. 2005. El rostro humano de la ciencia: Retórica del discurso científico en la Argentina de principios del siglo XX. Neue Romania 321. 17–34.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (2)

Cited by two other publications

Moyano, Estela Ines
2024. The function of Theme in Spanish. Language, Context and Text. The Social Semiotics Forum 6:2 ► pp. 262 ff. DOI logo
Ginanjar Anjaniputra, Agung, Christianti Tri Hapsari, Zuhrul Anam, B. Warsito, D. Sutiningsih & F. Muhammad
2022. A Contrastive Analysis of Halliday’s Theme System in Indonesian and English-Native Abstracts. E3S Web of Conferences 359 ► pp. 03001 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 25 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue