A Study On The Strategies Of Thematic Choices In Strengthening The Persuasiveness In Chinese Counsel's Statements Of Defence: An Adaptation Theory-Based Approach

The present study undertakes an examination on the strategies of thematic choices in strengthening the persuasiveness in Chinese counsel's statements of defence in the aid of Halliday's linguistic theory, the theory of Linguistic Adaptation proposed by Verschueren, Hugh Rank's persuasion model of Intensify/Downplay Schema and legal knowledge. The thesis takes up a corpus analysis of counsel's statements of defence, which aims at addressing two research questions: (1) How are the thematic choices strategically made by Chinese counsel to strengthen persuasiveness? (2) How can each thematic choice be interpreted pragmatically as a dynamic process of adaptation?We investigate the strategies of thematic choices in strengthening the persuasiveness in Chinese counsel's statements of defence by approaching the three types of Theme (marked Theme, single Theme and textual Theme) and the four patterns of thematic progression (constant Theme, constant Rheme, linear Rheme and linear Theme) in terms of contextual correlates and salience level. We tentatively draw the conclusion as follows: Chinese counsel's thematic choices are well adapted to linguistic and communicative contexts; and the choice-making is a dynamic process of linguistic adaptation at various levels of salience.