FSP and the essence of a text

FSP and the essence of atext Leona Rohrauer (Prague) ABSTRACT The present paper presents the results of asmall-scale research aiming at the exploration of the potential of FSP for atext content description. The research task here was to look at how the carriers of the theme and the rheme capture the essence of atext, or in other words, how much they “tell” what the text is about. The results of the FSP analysis were compared to the text content description achieved by the use keywords. The initial hypothesis that aset of theme and rheme carriers captures the content of atext more precisely than aset of keywords was confirmed. KEYWORDS FSP, text content description, keyword, thematic track DOI https://doi.org/10.14712/18059635.2019.2.6 1. INTRODUCTION Jan Firbas’s seminal publication of Functional Sentence Perspective in Written and Spoken Communication (1992) triggered agreat variety of spin-off studies ranging from hyper-syntax over to overall textual analysis. FSP research has spun off in various directions. It gave rise to the so-called Brno School represented among others by Svoboda (1981, 1987), who substantially contributed to the elaboration of Firbas’s theory, and most recently there have been inspiring studies written by Chamonikolasová (2005, 2010), Chamonikolasová and Adam (2005) and Adam (2011, 2013). In the Department of English Language and ELT Methodology of the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, various aspects of Firbasian theory have been elaborated in the works of Dušková (1998, 1999a, 1999b, 2005, 2008, 2010a, 2010b, 2012, 2015) and her pupils. The present paper was intended as apre-sequel to amore extensive study looking at how FSP can be useful in automated descriptions of text content in order to make search engines more effective. The research task here was to look at how the carriers of the theme and the rheme capture the essence of atext, or in other words, how much they “tell” what the text is about. The results of the FSP analysis regarding the theme carriers and the rheme carriers were then compared to the set of keywords assigned to the texts under examination. The initial hypothesis predicted that the set of theme and rheme carriers would provide amore accurate picture of the text content than the set of keywords. 214 LINGUISTICA PRAGENSIA 2/2019 2. METHODOLOGY The methodology unwound from the aim of the study, i.e. to compare two potential methods of text content description: keywords and theme/rheme carriers. Five short texts from quality online newspapers were selected, each of about 360 words in length. The topics varied from art, technology, cooking, and science, to social issues. The FSP analysis of each of the texts followed. Atwofold examination of each sentence, viewed as abasic communicative field, was performed. The sentence elements were assessed as carriers of FSP functions onto which the dynamic semantic functions were mapped in the next step. As for the latter, two scales of dynamic semantic functions were considered, the Presentation Scale and the Quality Scale. The analysis aimed at detecting sets of theme carriers and sets of rheme carriers; thematic tracks were identified as well as one-time themes, and rhematic parts of sentences were scrutinized in order to isolate the rheme proper carriers. The second part of the experiment ensued in addressing five linguists with the experience of identifying keywords in texts, i.e. having ahistory of publishing their own material wherein isolating the keywords is part of the process. Their task was to isolate five keywords in each of the texts under examination. The outcome (incorporating the answers of all five linguists and the author of the study) was evaluated into arepresentative set of keywords for each text. Finally, the present writer compared the set of rheme (proper) and theme carriers to the set of keywords in each of the texts. 3. RESULTS The texts under examination altogether consist of 91 basic distributional fields, some of them very complex, and 43 subfields, i.e. fields of second and lower ranks. The example below illustrates afrequent type of acomplex sentence functioning as abasic distributional field with an embedded clause functioning as adistributional field of asecond rank (in italics), which required afurther analysis (cf. example 1a). (1) The researchers (Th, B) say (Tr, Q) IVF is apowerful tool to help endangered species of dog such as the African wild dog (Rh, Sp). (1a) IVF (Th-1) is (Tr-1, Q) apowerful tool to help endangered species of dog such as the African wild dog (Rh, Sp). In the brackets the standard abbreviations of FSP and semantic dynamic functions (DSFs) respectively, are adduced. The dynamic semantic functions reflect the type of scale implementing them, i.e. the Quality Scale with the DSFs of Setting (Set), Bearer of Quality (B), Quality (Q), Specification (Sp), and Further Specification (FSp). The Presentation Scale then implements DSFs of Setting (Set), Presentation (Pr) and Phenomenon to Be Presented (Ph), see also Adam (2002). The FSP functions within adis- LEONA ROHRAUER 215 tributional field of asecond rank are indicated with -1 and each rank lower is accordingly indicated, i.e. FSP functions within adistributional field of athird rank are indicated with -2, afourth rank with -3, etc. In sum 134 distributional fields were analysed (on average 27 distributional fields per text), out of these there were 4 presentation sentences (which amounts to 3%), which are presented below, the rhematic part in italics (the square brackets indicate apart of the sentence left out due to its irrelevance): (2) […] but all of the products (Th, Set) contained (Tr, Pr) an identical amount of the same active ingredient, ibuprofen lysine (Rh, Ph) (3) Aseparate court hearing (Rh, Ph) will be held (Tr, Pr) to determine if the company may face fines (Rh, Sp). (4) Frozen embryos (Rh, Ph) were implanted (Tr, Pr) in afemale dog (Th, Set) using techniques similar to those used in human fertility clinics (Rh, Sp). (5) The world’s first “test tube” puppies (Rh-1, Ph) have been born (Tr-1, Pr) after years of attempts (Th-1, Set), [say (Tr, Q) scientists in the US (Th, B)]. Example 2 implements the Presentation Scale with locative subject (Dušková 1998), examples 3 and 4 implement the so-called Extended Presentation Scale (Chamonikolasová and Adam 2005) where first aphenomenon is presented onto the scene, and then it is extended by Specification (Sp), i.e. an additional piece of information carrying ahigher degree of communicative dynamism than the presented phenomenon itself. Interestingly, examples 3, 4, and 5 contain apresentation verb in the passive voice. As Firbas (1992: 63) observes, “The sentences with verbs in the passive demonstrate that the meaning of appearance/existence on the scene is also conveyed by transitive verbs. Bringing aphenomenon into existence (causing it to appear on the scene) is unmistakably implied by sentences expressing production and agoal affected by it. An effected goal is an outcome (result, consequence) of aproduction process: it has been brought by it into existence.” 3.1 KEYWORDS Table 1 below illustrates the first step in assessing the acquired data. It presents aworking table with all the keywords which were identified in the text ‘Banksy uses Steve Jobs artwork to highlight refugee crisis’. The keywords are organized in accordance with the actual input by the addressed linguists (Subjects 1— 6), i.e. the first keyword identified appears as keyword a(KWa), the second keyword identified as key word b (KWb), etc. Further on the present writer worked with the schemes introducing the results of evaluating the data according to the frequency of occurrence with the most frequently identified keyword in the KW1 slot and the least frequent one(s) in the KW5 slot, cf. Table 2 below. In the rest of the text only this summarizing part of the tables, i.e. the representative set of keywords for each particular text is adduced. 216 LINGUISTICA PRAGENSIA 2/2019 KWa KWb KWc KWd KWe Subject 1 graffiti Banksy refugee crisis Calais Dismaland art project Subject 2 migrant refugee crisis Banksy graffiti Subject 3 refugee crisis graffiti migrant Banksy Steve Jobs Subject 4 migrant refugee crisis Banksy graffiti Calais Subject 5 artwork crisis refugee migrant graffiti Subject 6 Steve Jobs refugee crisis migration migrants graffiti Table 1:Keywords identified in the text Banksy uses Steve Jobs artwork to highlight the refugee crisis KW1 KW2 KW3 KW4 KW5 Graffiti Refugee crisis Refugee Crisis Migrant Banksy Calais, Steve Jobs, artwork, Dismaland art project, migration Table 2:Table 1 re-evaluated according to the frequency of occurrence of the keywords identified in the text Banksy uses Steve Jobs artwork to highlight refugee crisis (301 words) 3.2 KEYWORDS AND THE THEME CARRIERS In the next step the representative set of keywords was compared with the set of theme carriers in each of the texts. Two schemes are adduced for each text, one presenting the isolated keywords ranging from the most frequently isolated keyword (KW1) to the least frequent one(s) (KW5). The other scheme then presents the identified theme carriers in relation to their dynamic-semantic function, i.e. either as Quality Bearer (in the Quality Scale) or Setting (both in the Presentation Scale and in the Quality Scale). The slots reflect the chronology of appearance in the text under examination, i.e. the first theme carrier in the table (One-time Theme 1) appeared first in the text, etc. Texts 2, 3, 4, and 5 display themes organized into thematic tracks. In case atheme carrier appeared as apart of athematic track, the slot is divided into more cells, each presenting aunit within the track, see Table 7 where one of the thematic tracks runs as follows: Australia’s consumer watchdog— The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)— the ACCC— ACCC chairman Rod Sims. The ordering reflecting the chronology of appearance in the text under examination applies here as well, thus thematic track 1 starts with an item appearing first in the text, thematic track 2 with an item appearing second, etc. 3.2.1 TEXT 1 BANKSY USES STEVE JOBS ARTWORK TO HIGHLIGHT REFUGEE CRISIS (301 WORDS) Looking at the two sets, i.e. the keywords (cf. Table 2) and the theme carriers (cf. Table 3), we can see that there is aconsiderable overlap between the two sets of words. In fact, except of “migration” and “refugee crisis”, which appear in the set of the carriers of the rheme, all keywords appear in the set of theme carriers. On the other hand, the set of theme carriers mediated the following additional information: LEONA ROHRAUER 217 a) word play, viz. bemusement park, the Dismal aid project b) localization in time and space: this summer, September, on the closing night of Dismaland, Weston-Super-Mare Theme carriers Quality Bearers Banksy The artist His temporary „bemusement“ pak in WestonSuper-Mare The „Dismal aid“ project The work The graffiti Migration Steve Jobs Apple Settings In his hand During his trip to Calais This summer On the closing night of Dismaland Since the park closed in September The camp Table 3:Theme carriers organised according to the chronology of appearance in the text Banksy uses Steve Jobs artwork to highlight refugee crisis 3.2.2 TEXT 2 FOR THE FORAGER OR FRANCOPHILE, ADANDELION SALAD (336 WORDS) Here relatively many keywords do not find their counterpart in the set of the theme carriers, viz. salad, folk medicine cure-all, Francophile, the forager, spring tonic and green. As well as in text 1, the analysis showed that all these units are found in the set of the carriers of the rheme. It is worth mentioning that agood deal of these rheme carriers (three in this text, viz. green, spring tonic, and Francophile) are found in the last slot KW5, which displays the greatest variety both lexically and in terms of FSP function. In comparison to the set of keywords, the set of theme carriers in this text mediated the following additional information: details about the usage of dandelion in cuisine as well as details about the achieved taste of the meal as the outcome of the recipe, and the information about time and space: a) details: soups, tinctures, wine; the garlicky, mustardy vinaigrette b) localization in time and space: spring (foods), farmers’ markets, supermarkets KW1 KW2 KW3 KW4 KW5 Dandelion Dandelion salad Salad Forager Foraging Folk medicine Folk medicine cure-all Healthy diet Health Recipe Cooking Food Spring tonic Fresh taste Francophile Green Table 4:Keywords reflecting the frequency with which they were identified in the text For the Forager or Francophile, aDandelion Salad 218 LINGUISTICA PRAGENSIA 2/2019 Quality Bearers Thematic track 1 Thematic track 2 One-time theme 1 One-time theme 2 One-time theme 3 One-time theme 4 One-time theme 5 One-time theme 6 The poor dandelion Tender dandelion leaves Modern science The briefest research on the topic Farmers’ markets Super markets This recipe The garlicky, mustardy vinaigrette dandelion Larger leaves Settings Among celebrated spring foods like ramps, nettles, green garlic. Asparagus, sorrel and rhubarb Used in soups or tinctures or made into wine If you love foraging Should you prefer to forage the urban way Table 5:Theme carriers organised according to the chronology of appearance in the texts For the Forager or Francophile, aDandelion Salad 3.2.3 TEXT 3 NUROFEN OWNER RECKITT BENCKISER ORDERED TO STOP SELLING ‘MISLEADING’ TARGET SPECIFIC PAINKILLERS (399 WORDS) KW1 KW2 KW3 KW4 KW5 Painkiller Nurofen Nurofen owner Court action Court ruling Court Australian court Ibuprofen Ibuprofen pills ACCC Mislead Trick Product Pain products Pain relief Market withdrawal Australia Advertising Table 6:Keywords reflecting the frequency with which they were identified in the text Nurofen owner Reckitt Benckiser ordered to stop selling ‘misleading’ target specific painkillers The overlap between the two sets identified in this text is significant; except for mislead, trick, and market withdrawal, which appear in the set of the carriers of the rheme, all the keywords find their counterpart in the set of theme carriers. At the same time all the keywords from the set of the rheme carriers are found on the fifth position in the grid (KW5), which demonstrates the variability in FSP function of the words classified as keywords least frequently. In the set of keywords isolated for this text, information crucial for the content of the text is missing, specifically the name of the company which represents the LEONA ROHRAUER 219 Theme carriers Quality Bearers Thematic track 1 Thematic track 2 Thematic track 3 Thematic track 4 Thematic track 5 One-time theme 1 One-time theme 2 One-time theme 3 One-time theme 4 An Australian court British consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser Australia’s consumer watchdog The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Each of the four painkillers None of the four products Nurofen A Nurofen spokesperson Justice James Edelman The case Truth in advertising and consumer issues in the health and medical sectors Any representations which are difficult for aconsumer to test All Nurofen products Nurofen spokeswoman Montse Pena The Federal court The company Reckitt Benckiser The ACCC The ACCC chairman Rod Sims Settings In Australia consumers Table 7:Theme carriers organised according to the chronology of appearance in the text Nurofen owner Reckitt Benckiser ordered to stop selling ‘misleading’ target specific painkillers 220 LINGUISTICA PRAGENSIA 2/2019 hypertheme of the text. Moreover, the set of theme carriers includes additional information regarding the names of the key characters in the report, viz. a) crucial information: Reckitt Benckiser b) details: Justice James Edelman, Nurofen spokeswoman Montse Pena 3.2.4 TEXT 4 WORLD’S FIRST IVF PUPPIES BORN TO SURROGATE MOTHER DOG (415 WORDS) KW1 KW2 KW3 KW4 KW5 in-vitro fertilisation Puppies IVP puppies Dog Dog breeding Rare breeds Endangered species Endangered species conservation Genetics Technique New techniques Medicine Veterinary medicine Embryos Significant benefit Cornell University Surrogate mother Beagle-Spaniel Study Table 8:Keywords reflecting the frequency with which they were identified in the text World’s first IVF puppies born to surrogate mother dog Looking at the two sets, we observe that four units identified as keywords, namely endangered species conservation, genetics, surrogate mother, and significant benefit, are missing in the set of theme carriers. They are all found among the rheme carriers. Moreover, except for the unit endangered species conservation, all these units appear on the fifth position in the grid (KW5). In comparison to the set of keywords, the set of theme carriers mediated additional information as the name of the key character, the name of the journal quoted as asource of information adduced in the text under examination, and ahint that the process of freezing embryos poses aproblem, viz. a) details regarding the names: Lead researcher Dr Alex Travis, the journal PLoS One b) additional details: problems with freezing embryos LEONA ROHRAUER 221 Theme carriers Quality Bearers Thematic track Thematic track Thematic track Thematic track One-time theme One-time theme One-time theme Scientists in the US researchers at Cornell University the group The in-vitro fertilisation success IVF The seven beagle and cross-bred beagle-spaniel puppies The puppies Their existence Problems with freezing embryos Dogs Dogs and humans Techniques The research published in the journal PLoS One Prof David Argyle, head of the school of veterinary medicine at the University of Edinburgh, which was not part of the study Lead researcher Dr Alex Travis, form Cornell college of veterinary medicine The researchers Dr Travis In-vitro fertilisation all but one Settings In the past Since the mid-1970s Now Afemale dog In medicine Table 9:Theme carriers organised according to the chronology of appearance in the text World’s first IVF puppies born to surrogate mother dog