The Analysis Of Formulaic Sequences In English Editorials From The Perspective Of Thematic Structure

The application of formulaic sequences has been the focus of theoretical research since 1980s. Formulaic sequence refers to a sequence, continuous or discontinuous, of words or other meaning elements stored or retrieved as a whole from memory at the time of use, rather than being subject to generation or analysis by language grammar. Many studies show formulaic sequences carry much importance in daily communication and in language for specific purpose, in which they can improve communication and reduce the obstacles in language output. As one branch of ESP, news editorials can reveal the features and characteristics of formulaic sequences to its fullest extent. This thesis presents an overview of the relevant research of formulaic sequences in previous studies and analyzes formulaic sequences in 30 English news editorials with Halliday's theme theory from the perspective of functions.The present thesis consists of six chapters. Chapter one introduces what the study is about, the research background and significance of the study. Chapter two is the literature review, which includes previous studies on formulaic sequences, theme theory and news editorials. Chapter three gives the theoretical framework on which the present thesis is based. Chapter four introduces the process of data collection and the methodology for analysis. Chapter five is the main body of the paper in which the author analyzes formulaic sequences in corpus with Halliday's theme theory from the perspective of function. The study shows phrasal constraints used by editorials predominates, and formulaic sequences are more frequently used in theme than in rheme. And formulaic sequences used in theme are more diverse and varied than those used in rheme. It also shows whether in theme or rheme, an overwhelming majority of the formulaic sequences assume the function of discourse devices. Chapter six is the conclusion that reflects on limitations and provides some suggestions for further study.Through this study, the author hopes that when ordinary readers read editorials and editor writes editorials, enough emphasis could be placed on formulaic sequences in order to construct more effectively and comprehend more accurately. And at the same time, it is hoped that further studies could be conducted on formulaic sequences from various perspectives in the future.