WORD ORDER VARIATION English is generally described as

WORD ORDER VARIATION

English is generally described as having a relatively "fixed" word order. The basic unmarked word order in a declarative sentence is: S(ubject) V(erb) O(bject). ● The dog chased the cat. ● The cat chased the dog. In the above sentence, the syntactic functions of sentence elements are determined by word order.

However, English allows thematic reordering: (moving an element from an unmarked position to a marked position). Thematic reordering is achieved by: thematic fronting thematic postponement.

ENGLISH EMPLOYS SEVERAL SYNTACTIC STRATEGIES FOR REALIZING FRONTING AND POSTPONEMENT: FRONTING OR PREPOSING DEVICES INCLUDE: THEMATIZATION IT-CLEFTS

Postposing or postponement devices include: Wh-clefts, Passives, There-constructions Extraposition

Thematization (thematic fronting) is defined as "the moving into initial position an item which is otherwise unusual there. " Fronted elements can be subjects, objects, adverbials, complements and nominal clauses.

●JOHN HIS NAME IS. ●YOUR LETTER I HAVEN'T YET RECEIVED. ●CHILDREN, I CAN'T BEAR THEM. ●NEVER HAVE I READ SUCH A BORING STORY. ●ONLY THEN DID I REALIZE HOW SILLY IT WAS. ●HOME WENT JOHN. ●AND VERY CLEVER HE IS TOO. ●WHAT HE WANTED FROM ME I DON'T KNOW. FRONTING GIVES MORE IMMEDIATE IMPORTANCE TO THESE ELEMENTS

HIS WORDS I DON’T TRUST. IN THE HOUSE SHE IS THE BOSS. HAPPY IS THE MAN WHO LIVES IN SUCH A PLACE. RELAXATION YOU CALL IT. STRANGE ARE YOUR DREAMS. THESE PAINTINGS THE CRITICS HAVE PRAISED HIGHLY.

A CLEFT SENTENCE IS A SENTENCE WHICH HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS, EACH WITH ITS OWN VERB, TO EMPHASIZE A PARTICULAR PIECE OF INFORMATION. [USUALLY BEGINS WITH (IT) + VERB TO BE + THE ELEMENT WHICH IS BEING EMPHASIZED]

● IT-CLEFTS, WHICH ARE A TYPE OF FRONTING, INVOLVE CLEAVING A SENTENCE INTO TWO. THEY ENABLE THE SPEAKER/WRITER TO GIVE PROMINENCE TO DIFFERENT ELEMENTS. ● IT WAS A HORSE THAT THE TRUCK HIT YESTERDAY. IN THIS SENTENCE, THE WRITER/SPEAKER FOCUSES ON THE OBJECT. THE ADDRESSEE KNOWS THAT THE TRUCK HIT SOMETHING, BUT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IT HIT. THE CLEFTED ELEMENT IS THE OBJECT.

OTHER POSSIBLE VARIANTS ARE: ● IT WAS A TRUCK THAT HIT THE HORSE. THE CLEFTED ELEMENT IS THE SUBJECT. ●IT WAS YESTERDAY WHEN THE TRUCK HIT A HORSE. THE CLEFTED ELEMENT IS THE TIME ADVERBIAL.

MRS. SMITH GAVE MARY A DRESS YESTERDAY. IT WAS MRS. SMITH WHO GAVE MARY A DRESS YESTERDAY. (THE CLEFTED ELEMENT IS THE SUBJECT) IT WAS MARY THAT WAS GIVEN A DRESS BY MRS. SMITH YESTERDAY. (THE CLEFTED ELEMENT IS THE INDIRECT OBJECT)

IT WAS A DRESS THAT MRS. SMITH GAVE TO MARY YESTERDAY. (THE CLEFTED ELEMENT IS THE DIRECT OBJECT) IT WAS YESTERDAY THAT MRS. SMITH GAVE MARY A DRESS. (THE CLEFTED ELEMENT IS THE ADVERBIAL)

POSTPONEMENT DEVICES 1. WH-CLEFTS (PSEUDO-CLEFTS) A SENTENCE WITH A WH- CLAUSE. LIKE IT-CLEFTS, WH-CLEFTS CLEAVE A SENTENCE INTO TWO. ● WHAT JOHN WANTS IS MONEY. (NOT FOOD)

WHAT I NEED IS A GOOD HOLIDAY (NOT MONEY) WHAT HE DID WAS MARRYING MY SISTER (NOT MY COUSIN)

2. PASSIVE THE PASSIVE CREATES THEMATIC POSTPONEMENT. IT ALLOWS THE WRITER/SPEAKER TO GIVE GREATER PROMINENCE TO THE AGENT RATHER THAN THE VERB. ● THE LETTER WAS GIVEN TO ME BY JOHN.

3. THERE-CONSTRUCTIONS USING NON-REFERENTIAL (THERE) IN SUBJECT POSITION. ONE OF THE FUNCTIONS OF EXISTENTIAL THERE-CONSTRUCTIONS IS TO ALLOW THE WRITER/SPEAKER TO HIGHLIGHT NEW INFORMATION. ● THERE WAS PLENTY OF FOOD ON THE TABLE.

THERE IS A DOG LYING ON MY BED. THERE IS A MAN AT THE DOOR. THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS PRESENT. THERE WAS A STRANGE STORM LAST NIGHT. THERE IS SOME BUTTER IN THE FRIDGE.

4. EXTRAPOSITION A POSTPOSING DEVICE, INVOLVES INTRODUCING "IT" AND PUSHING AN ELEMENT TO THE RIGHT TO MAKE IT MORE SALIENT. ● IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. ● IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT HE SAYS.

IT WAS DIFFICULT TRYING TO GET THE TICKETS. IT WAS ODD MEETING HER IN LONDON. IT IS NOT EASY TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT YOUR BROTHER IS INTELLIGENT.