Thematic Progression, Register Consistency and Text Coherence

Jul. 2005, Volume 3, No.7 (Serial No.22) US-China Foreign Language, ISSN1539-8080, USA

Thematic Progression, Register Consistency and Text Coherence
Huifeng Li* Yuanyuan Liu** Lanzhou University of Technology
Abstract: The relation between cohesion and coherence has been debated for decades, but many linguists
have been overemphasizing the function of nonstructural cohesion devices. The thesis lays its emphasis mainly on
structural cohesion devices, especially the pattern of thematic progression. It aims at revealing the relation
between thematic progression, register consistency and text coherence. The author hopes to cultivate new horizon
for the study of cohesion devices and coherent criterion.
Key words: cohesion coherence thematic progression register consistency field mode
tenor

The first half of the 20th century witnessed the springing up of various linguistic schools like case grammar,
Prague School, London School and systemic-functional grammar. But the wave of linguistic schools, according to
their different fields of concern, could be divided into two branches: the Formalism and the Functionalism. The
former, with transformational-generative grammar as its representative, aims to reveal the universal grammar of
human languages, which could produce infinite sentences through finite language rules. Yet the latter lays
emphasis on the study of human language from the perspective of other social sciences like psychology, sociology
and anthropology. Among all these linguistic schools, some distinguish themselves from others by taking text as
their main study object. Since cohesion theory accounts for the most important part in text study, the thesis tries to
reveal the relation between thematic progression, register consistency and text coherence.
1. Cohesion: Concept and Devices
The concept and criterion have been discussed for decades. Generally speaking, cohesion, as a semantic unit,
is part of the system of a language. It refers to the relations of meaning existing within the text. But how can we
know whether different parts in a text are semantically related? Halliday & Hasan (1976) pointed out that
cohesion occurs where the interpretation of some element in the discourse is dependent on that of another.
Considering the relation between cohesion and coherence, Halliday & Hasan maintained that cohesion is
necessary for coherence and coherence is dependent on cohesion. The original ideas towards cohesion that
Halliday & Hasan proposed in their book Cohesion in English (1976) triggered extensive criticism from other
linguistic schools, even from inside systemic-functional grammar. Widdowson (1978) argued that cohesion does
occur in text, but it should be studied with the progression of proposition in text. As long as the progression of
proposition could be observed, the text could be taken as coherent. Harnett divided cohesion ties into static and
dynamic ones. Static ties keep readers’

attention on a certain topic, but cannot help the topic progress, whereas the
converse is true for dynamic ties.

* Huifeng Li, M.A., assistant of School of Foreign Languages, Lanzhou University of Technology; Research fields: applied
linguistics, translation; Address: School of Foreign Languages, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, P.R.
China; Postcode: 730050; Tel: 13919235222; E-mail: scottlee78@126.com.
** Yuanyuan Liu, assistant of School of Foreign Languages, Lanzhou University of Technology; Research field: English teaching;
Address: School of Foreign Languages, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, P.R. China; Postcode: 730050.
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Thematic Progression, Register Consistency and Text Coherence
Taking various criticism as reference, Halliday & Hasan further extended their cohesion theory in their book
Language, Context and Text in 1985. They suggested that a text cannot be regarded as coherent unless it fulfills
two points: texture could be found in the text and the register in the text remains consistent. The concept of texture
is entirely appropriate to express the property of being a text. A text has texture and this is what distinguishes it
from something that is not a text. Texture, as Halliday & Hasan proposed in 1985, consists of the following two
aspects: structural and nonstructural. Nonstructural texture refers to the cohesive ties between different elements
in different sentences like reference, substitution, ellipsis and conjunction; yet structural texture refers to
inter-sentence or intra-sentence structures like theme----rheme structure.
2. Thematic Progression and Text Coherence
In their original cohesion theory, Halliday & Hasan(1976) overemphasized the function of nonstructural
cohesion devices. After its modification in 1985, the importance of structural devices, especially that of Thematic
Progression, is justified. The thesis will discuss the relation between texture and text coherence from the
perspective of Thematic Progression.
As one of the forefathers of the Prague School, Mathesius proposed the concept of Theme and Rheme.
Halliday (1985: 38-39) advocated that Theme is “the point of departure for message”, “the element with which the
clause is concerned”. In studying the coherence of text, Halliday & Hasan reintroduced the Theme-Rheme theory
and the theory of Thematic Progression.
Form the seemingly messy sentence structures in a text, Fries(1983)&Danes(1974) abstracted several
patterns of Thematic Progression which could be adopted to explain whether a text is coherent or not.
2.1 The Constant Theme Pattern
In this pattern, a common Theme is shared by all clauses and this Theme equates with given information. See
example one:
Example One: The brain contains 10 billion nerve cells, making thousands of millions of connections with
each other. It is the most powerful data processor we know. And it is under intensive investigations by scientists
nowadays.
The pattern takes the same element as the point of departure of all clauses, and the Rheme of each clause
gives further explanation to the same Theme. The patter is easy to comprehend and could make it easier for
readers to find information. Though the application of the pattern could probably make a text monotonous, most
readers tend to take the text as coherent.
2.2 The Linear Theme Pattern
The Theme of a sentence in this pattern is identical with the Rheme of the previous sentence, whereas its
Rheme constitutes the Theme of the following sentence. See Example two:
Example Two: The stomach produces gastric juice, which contains dilute hydrochloric acid. The acid kills
most of the bacteria in the food. The partly digested food passes next into the duodenum.
In this pattern, the Theme of a certain sentence is the summary of most of the content of the previous
sentence, and thus makes a new point of departure which further introduces a new Rheme. Since the application of
the pattern could make readers curious for the coming information, it is more easily to be regarded as coherent.
2.3 The Split Theme Pattern
The pattern occurs when the Rheme of a clause has more than one component, each of which is taken in turn
as the Theme of a subsequent clause. See Example Three:
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Thematic Progression, Register Consistency and Text Coherence
Example Three: The only other considerable region in the world lies in Japan. This country shows a remarkable
fusion of both densely populated rural and urban communities. Japanese peasant farmers, who constitute 45 percent
of the population, practice a typical monsoon Asian subsistence economy, whereas the millions of people living in
vast industrial cities have much in common with counterparts in Europe and North American.
Texts with this pattern will have a clear layout for the reader to catch what the passage is about. According to
different scales of delicacy, it would be easier for readers to find useful information. With each step forward, the
information offered will be more and more specific. Texts in this pattern will impress readers as logical and coherent.
2.4 The Constant Rheme Pattern
A common Rheme is shared by all clauses in this pattern, and this Rheme equates with new information. See
example four:
Example Four: England is a country; France is a country; Turkey is another country; Egypt, Italy and
Poland are other countries.
In this pattern, all new information shares the same feature. Although it sometimes sounds wordy and tedious,
it could be used to emphasize the new information the speaker is offering.
Although linguists have abstracted several patterns for Thematic Progression and they indeed play an active
role in analyzing the coherence of text, we should be conscious that in actually writing, it is very rare to find a text
consisting of only one of these patterns. Therefore, in our analysis of text coherence, we should be able to adopt
the patterns in a flexible way.
3. Register Consistency and Text Coherence
In their study of text coherence, Halliday & Hasan paid special attention to context of situation proposed by
Malinowski in 1923. Halliday & Strevens further elaborated the concept of context of situation into three headings:
field, mode and tenor. These are highly general concepts for describing how context of situation determines the
kind of meaning that is expressed. The field is the total event together with the purposive activity of the speaker or
writer. The mode is the function of the text in the event. It includes both the channel taken by the language and its
genre. The tenor refers to the type of role interaction, the set of relevant social relations among the participants
involved. The linguistic features which are typically associated with a configuration of situational features (with
particular values of the field, mode and tenor) constitute a register.
In general, if a passage hangs together as a text, it will display consistency of register. In other words, texture
involves more than the presence of semantic relations of the kind we refer to as cohesive, the dependence of one
element on another for its interpretation. It also involves some degree of coherence in the actual meanings
expressed: not only in the content but also in total selection from the semantic resources of the language.
Generally speaking, a text normally has consistency of register; it fits a given set of situational features, a pattern
formed by the nature of the communicative event (field), the place assigned to language acts within the event
(mode) and the role relationship of those who are participating (tenor). Otherwise it is more often than not to be
regarded as incoherent. See Example Five:
Example Five: A: May I have a use of your car?
B: But my pencil has been stolen.
A: Then have your mother recovered?
B: The film I watched last night was excellent.
Since A and B in the previous example failed to keep a common topic, they violated the restriction on field

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Thematic Progression, Register Consistency and Text Coherence
and therefore failed to keep the register consistent. Therefore, most readers will consider the conversation to be
inconsistent. The same is also true for mode and tenor.
From what we have discussed above, we can safely draw the conclusion that the concept of cohesion could
be usefully supplemented by that of register, since the two effectively define a text. A text is a passage which is
coherent in these two aspects: it is coherent with respect to the context of situation and therefore consistent in
register; and it is coherent with respect of itself and therefore cohesive. Neither of the two conditions is sufficient
without the other, nor does the one by necessity entails the other.

References:
1. Halliday, M.A.K. & R. Hasan. Introduction to Functional Grammar. London: Arnold. 1985.
2. Halliday, M.A.K. & R. Hasan. Cohesion in English. London: Longman. 1976.
3. Halliday, M.A.K. & R. Hasan. Language, Context and Text. Victoria: Deakin University Press. 1985.
4. Levinson, S.C.. Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1983.
5. Widdowson, H.G.. Teaching Language as Communication. Oxford: OUP. 1978.
6. 胡壮麟. 论语篇的衔接与连贯. 上海: 上海外语教育出版社. 1994.
7. 张德禄. 论语篇连贯. 外语教学与研究. 2000 年(2): 103-109.
8. 张德禄. 语篇连贯与语篇信息结构. 外语研究. 1992(3): 7-11.
9. 朱永生. 衔接理论的发展与完善. 外国语. 1995(3): 36- 41.
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(Edited by Hua Zhou, Zhilu Lv, Thelma)
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