Sixteen subjects were presented with pairs of sentences to choose from embedded in discourse. One member of the pair maintained the topic of the discourse while the other failed to do so. Subjects preferred the topic-maintaining sentence.
The intonation patterns with which sentences of both types were read aloud by subjects did not differ as a function of whether or not the sentences were topic-maintaining.
These results are evaluated in respect to two facets of Halliday's theory of theme: the psychological meaning of theme, and the independence of thematization and information structure.
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