96 - HEADERS
96a - Headers and clause structure
The dominant word order in
English in both speech and writing is the declarative s-v-x where s is the
subject of the clause, v is the verb and x is any other item that may be
present, e.g. an object (o) or an adjunct (a). The theme (what the speaker
wants to talk about or the point of departure of the message) is usually the
subject of the clause (=> 472).
Fronting may be
used to emphasise what the speaker considers to be especially significant. The
word or phrase which is fronted and which comes first in the clause is
highlighted or ‘thematised’ by the word order. Adjuncts are frequently fronted
for emphasis in both spoken and written language (=> 473),
and objects and complements can also be fronted. This is particularly common in
spoken language:
I like David but
Pat I find rather odd. (fronting of the object
Pat)
I think we tried
to see too much. Naples I remember
but all those other towns along the coast are a bit of a blur. (fronting of the object
Naples)
[trying to find
a library book that is on short loan, i.e. must be returned after only a very
short period]
A: There’s another short-loan book round here
somewhere that I have to get in and I don’t know where it is. Yes. That one and
there’s another one. Not one on the floor down there is there?
B: No.
A: It’s probably around here then. Aha. Hiding from me. And
a very good book it was too.
(fronting
of subject complement)
These fronted
elements still remain within the clause structure:
[c = subject
complement]
C
|
S
|
V
|
A
|
a very good book
|
it
|
was
|
too
|
(non-fronted: it was a very good book too)
However, in spoken English a
particular type of structure is common where an item within the clause
structure is placed before the clause and repeated (usually as a pronoun) in
the clause itself. When such an item occurs before the clause, the structure is
called a header:
< ------- header-------- >, < -----clause------ >
S V C
The teacher with glasses, he seems very nice.
(non-fronted: The teacher with glasses seems very nice.)
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