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CREATING FOCUS 'Topic' and 'Comment' 'Topic' and 'comment' are very closely connected to the concepts of 'given' and 'new' information. These concepts will be helpful to us in the rest of this module. More precisely, we can define 'topic' and 'comment' as follows. The 'topic' is the matter or idea currently being discussed in the text. Like 'given' information, the topic is usually placed at the beginning of a sentence or clause (sivulause) and often comprises an idea which is already familiar to or anticipated by the reader. It has the important function of helping readers to follow the development of the text. Often, the topic may be a repetition, synonym or paraphrase of an idea mentioned earlier. The writer puts an idea in topic position in order to focus the reader's attention on what is being discussed. The 'comment' is what is being said about the matter or idea currently being discussed. The comment is normally found towards the end of a sentence or clause. It usually provides the reader with new information related to the topic, or information that otherwise needs to be brought to the reader's attention.
Let's now look at how choice of topic affects the way a reader perceives the writer's message. | |||||||||||||
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