Martin (1992: 437):
For English Text then, a hyper-Theme is an introductory sentence or group of sentences which is established to predict a particular pattern of interaction among strings, chains and Theme selection in following sentences — It is the child of wisdom and chance is the hyper-Theme of [6:34]. On the basis of this definition of hyper-Theme, the term macro-Theme can be defined as [a] sentence or group of sentences (possibly a paragraph) which predicts a set of hyper-Themes; this is the introductory paragraph of school rhetoric. The proportionalities being set up here [are] as follows:
Blogger Comments:
[1] Sentences and paragraphs are graphological units — units of the expression plane in written not spoken mode. Here they are misconstrued as semantic units.
[2] In the dynamic unfolding of a text, logogenesis, a hyper-Theme does not predict future Themes. Any "prediction" is a retrospective analysis that is only made after the fact by taking a synoptic view of a written text.
[3] This "introductory (Topic) sentence" is preceded by a three-clause complex that introduces the topic of the discourse: the English Constitution.
[4] Just as the meaning of the Greek prefix 'hyper-' is above, over or beyond, the meaning of the Greek prefix 'macro-' is long or large. That is, this (poor) choice of terminology results in the Theme of the largest unit, the (semantic) text, being a long- or large-Theme, and the Theme of the next largest unit, the (graphological) paragraph, being an above-, over- or beyond-Theme.
[5] That is, 'macro-Theme' is merely Martin's re-branding of 'introductory paragraph'.
[6] The proportionalities being set up here are as follows:
textual function of semantic unit :
textual function of graphological unit :
textual function of grammatical unit
