“The theme is what is being talked about, the point of departure for the clause as message”

—  Michael Halliday

Source: 1970s and later, Cohesion in English (English Language), 1976, p. 212.
Context: The theme is what is being talked about, the point of departure for the clause as message, and the speaker has within certain limits the option of selecting any element in the clause as thematic.

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Michael Halliday 23
Australian linguist 1925–2018

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