Theme-Rheme Theory-based Analysis Of Discourse Of Speeches And Its Implications On Interpreting Strategies

As one expressing form of discourses with verbal manifestation, speeches attract increasing attention posed by linguists, interpreting and translating experts. The incorporation of study between systematic functional linguistics and translation mechanisms has become a driving force to introduce discourse analysis theory into study of source language analysis. It enables interpreters to get a macro-perspective on informational structures of source languages and logical progression of similar discourses through exploring theme-rheme cohesion of source language.Diplomatic speeches are usually delivered by addressers at conferences or assemblies involving relatively serious topics for purposes of persuasion and conviction. It is necessary for addressers to present eloquent utterances with inspirations to stimulate empathy of audience. Therefore, diplomatic speeches have specific goal of communication, internal structure and typical addressees. If interpreters would like to ensure completeness and coherence of target discourses, they need not only learn background knowledge but excel at analyzing relations among themes of sentences and information distribution. Hence, studying thematic progression of diplomatic speeches is obviously meaningful.Based on theories of systematic functional linguistics, including thematic progression and theme-rheme structure, this essay is stood by six pieces of English diplomatic speeches collected from official websites of foreign governments and the other four of Chinese diplomatic speeches. It contrasts source languages with target languages, reviewing current accomplishments on thematic structure at home and aboard. It focuses on patterns of theme progression in diplomatic speeches and accounts for thematic progression retained in target discourses by analyzing connections between target and source languages in terms of theme-rheme structure and information distribution, aiming at enlightening interpreters with their strategies of diplomatic speeches interpreting.