Well supported. 17 quotes from 7 sources. Free to read.
The functional notion of “topic” or “topicality” has suffered, traditionally, from two distinct drawbacks.
First, “topic” and “topicality” are re-analyzed as a scalar property, rather than as an either/or discrete prime.
Fourth, we show that many grammatical phenomena which used to be studied by linguists in isolation, all partake in one functional domain of grammar, that of topic identification.
Topic is always related to a position inside the comment.
The main assumption is that the topic-comment construction is a syntactic device employed to fulfill certain discourse functions.
This article attempts to provide a precise definition for topic and to derive most of the properties of topic from this definition.
Thus, English has subjects and no topics, Malagasy has subjects that are also topics, and Tagalog distinguishes topics and subjects (that are also actors).
A new proposal about subject and topic is offered, derived largely from an effort to see how Malagasy fits (or does not fit) in the typology proposed by Schachter (1976, 1977).
Specifically, in Malagasy the so-called subject possesses both the properties of referential prominence, which Schachter attributes to topics, and the properties of role prominence, which he connects with actors.
Topic has been described as a discourse notion (see, for example, Chafe 1972 ; Li and Thompson, this volume).
Our observations include non-verbal as well as verbal contexts in which topics are entertained by interlocutors.
On the basis of this record, the prerequisite steps for getting a topic into the discourse are characterized and a notion of discourse topic is defined.
We then propose a novel analysis for this type of topic.
In this paper we discuss the widespread assumption that topics are a root phenomenon.
In § 5 we reconsider Aboutness-shift Topics, showing that they fully respect the root restriction.
Topic, topics, TOPIC, topical, or topicality may refer to:
In expository writing, a topic sentence is a sentence that summarizes the main idea of a paragraph.
Research query: this topic · jobs: 2 · on-topic sources: 7 · review: Held
Specifically, in Malagasy the so-called subject possesses both the properties of referential prominence, which Schachter attributes to topics, and the properties of role prominence, which he connects with actors. — Malagasy and the Topic/Subject Issue (1992)
First, “topic” and “topicality” are re-analyzed as a scalar property, rather than as an either/or discrete prime. — Topic Continuity in Discourse (1983)
In § 5 we reconsider Aboutness-shift Topics, showing that they fully respect the root restriction. — Is Topic a Root Phenomenon (2010)
Our observations include non-verbal as well as verbal contexts in which topics are entertained by interlocutors. — Topic as a Discourse Notion: a Study of Topic in the Conversations of Children and Adults( ) (2026)
This artifact is information and a reusable solution. Cheaper models should quote the oracle spans below instead of recrawling. Scan GET /library and GET /api/v1/match?q= before minting a new job.
Only previously sealed claims that apply to this request:
Topic (wikipedia)
Topic, topics, TOPIC, topical, or topicality may refer to: (new this job) — source
Topic sentence (wikipedia)
In expository writing, a topic sentence is a sentence that summarizes the main idea of a paragraph. (new this job) — source
Malagasy and the Topic/Subject Issue (1992)
Thus, English has subjects and no topics, Malagasy has subjects that are also topics, and Tagalog distinguishes topics and subjects (that are also actors). — source
A new proposal about subject and topic is offered, derived largely from an effort to see how Malagasy fits (or does not fit) in the typology proposed by Schachter (1976, 1977). — source
Specifically, in Malagasy the so-called subject possesses both the properties of referential prominence, which Schachter attributes to topics, and the properties of role prominence, which he connects with actors. — source
Is Topic a Root Phenomenon (2010)
We then propose a novel analysis for this type of topic. — source
In this paper we discuss the widespread assumption that topics are a root phenomenon. — source
In § 5 we reconsider Aboutness-shift Topics, showing that they fully respect the root restriction. — source
Topic and topic-comment constructions in Mandarin Chinese (2000)
Topic is always related to a position inside the comment. — source
The main assumption is that the topic-comment construction is a syntactic device employed to fulfill certain discourse functions. — source
This article attempts to provide a precise definition for topic and to derive most of the properties of topic from this definition. — source
Topic as a Discourse Notion: a Study of Topic in the Conversations of Children and Adults( ) (2026)
Topic has been described as a discourse notion (see, for example, Chafe 1972 ; Li and Thompson, this volume). — source
Our observations include non-verbal as well as verbal contexts in which topics are entertained by interlocutors. — source
On the basis of this record, the prerequisite steps for getting a topic into the discourse are characterized and a notion of discourse topic is defined. — source
Topic Continuity in Discourse (1983)
The functional notion of “topic” or “topicality” has suffered, traditionally, from two distinct drawbacks. — source
First, “topic” and “topicality” are re-analyzed as a scalar property, rather than as an either/or discrete prime. — source
Fourth, we show that many grammatical phenomena which used to be studied by linguists in isolation, all partake in one functional domain of grammar, that of topic identification. — source
Status Held. Verified claims 17. On-topic sources 6 (reused 4). Dropped 2 collector hit(s) and 0 off-topic local claim(s). Conflicts 0. Coverage: none — thin.
Sealed job 39a02b06d54464212fdee87408dfcd8f. Shards: scholar.openalex, encyclopedia.wikipedia. Dropped 2 off-topic collector hit(s) and 0 off-topic local claim(s). Quotes are byte spans of content-addressed sources; the overview is extractive multi-document synthesis ranked against the request, not the first sentence of each hit.
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