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Rhetorical uses of theme in newspaper editorials
Author(s) -
HAWES THOMAS,
THOMAS SARAH
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
world englishes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.6
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-971X
pISSN - 0883-2919
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-971x.1996.tb00102.x
Subject(s) - theme (computing) , newspaper , impartiality , rhetorical question , appeal , rhetoric , style (visual arts) , psychology , linguistics , sociology , writing style , social psychology , epistemology , media studies , literature , computer science , philosophy , political science , art , law , operating system
In this paper we look at some ways in which thematization can be used to control hortatory rhetoric. Varying the complexity of thematic structure, for instance, can produce minimalistic, informal text or an academic formal style, reminiscent of Bernstein's restricted and elaborated codes, respectively. More or less discourse participant themes can create an impression of outspokenness or impartiality and marked themes may be a measure of hortatory content in general. We examine how different choices of thematic progression as text organizers can produce different effects. Constant progression, for example, may suit the demagogue, while derived progression is calculated to appeal to a more intellectual audience. Then we find correlations with the problem‐solution patterns: different theme types may signal the various sections, and opponents or friends may be attacked or supported by thematizing them within problem or solution sections. Lastly, we draw pedagogical implications from the study.