A Study Of English Thematic Progression Patterns From The Adaptation Perspective

The present study focuses on the patterns of thematic progression in English. It mainly belongs to a qualitative study based on the data colleted from literary works and daily conversations. The conceptual framework is constructed on the basis of Jef Verschueren's (1999) Linguistic Adaptation Theory. The investigation concentrates on the variability, adaptability and functionality of thematic progression.As a strategy of communication, thematic progression depends on various linguistic patterns to realize its functions. Then communicators need to choose proper linguistic pattern to achieve their purpose of communication. Through deliberate consideration of the data, the paper classifies the patterns of thematic progression into four types, that is, constant Theme pattern, constant Rheme pattern, constant Theme-Rheme pattern and non-constant pattern. Furthermore, some specific linguistic devices are included in each category. Thus, the variability of thematic progression is illustrated through its ways of linguistic manipulation.Different patterns of language are employed to adapt to various contextual factors including communicative adaptation and linguistic adaptation. The research findings indicate that TP patterns are used to adjust to various linguistic contextual factors including cohesion, intertextuality and sequencing. The intentionality involved in the motivated choice of TP patterns make us draw the conclusion that the choice of patterns of thematic progression is the result of linguistic adaptation.On the basis of exploration of the variability and adaptability of thematic progression patterns, we come to the functions that different patterns of thematic progression produce. The present investigation finds out that certain patterns of TP employed as a conveyable strategy can display the discourse topic in a prominent situation, clarify the discourse structure and reinforce the reasoning of entirety.