THEME-RHEME STRUCTURE OF SENTENCES IN VIETNAMESE AND ENGLISH FOLKSONGS ABOUT LOVE

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the Theme-Rheme structure of sentences of English and Vietnamese folk songs about love. The thematic structure of English and Vietnamese clause in general and of the folk songs in both languages in particular is considered in comparison to each other then their semantic aspects. This study is both qualitatively and quantitatively carried out with the analysis of four hundred sentences of 100 English and Vietnamese folk songs about love. We analyzed the 200 samples from 50 Vietnamese Folk songs about love and 200 samples from 50 English Folk songs about love and showed many kinds of Theme – Rheme structures that can help learner in studying Functional grammar. The findings of this study show the frequency and variety in term of occurrence of the different thematic patterns and types of sentences of Theme in English and Vietnamese folk songs about love along with the observations, discussion and explanations for the findings. The results of this work are applicable to thematic analysis at clause and the semantic aspect to the thematic structure and the use and translation of folk songs for research, studying and communicative purpose.