ABSTRACT
The theme of a discourse has been alternately defined as the idea that functions as the focus or topic of a discourse (Eamon, 1978-79; Thorndyke, 1977), that unifies a discourse (Bisanz, Laporte, Vesonder, & Voss, 1978), and that constitutes the general idea of the discourse (Pompi & Lachman, 1967). The problem of discourse theme is distinct from that of sentence topic: that is, of what individual sentences are about (e.g., van Dijk & Kintsch, 1983; see also chapter 5). The theme of a discourse plays two important roles: First, the theme serves as a pointer to the relevant world knowledge of the understander. Second, the theme serves as an anchor for the integration of the ideas conveyed by the message (e.g., Kozminsky, 1977). As such, theme contributes to the organization of discourse ideas.
