1
Preposing (topicalization/tematización)
There is a “fronted element”. This element might be: +/- rheme or +/- focus. S → V
1. NON-FOCUS complement preposing
A complement occurs in front position. It must contain given (old) information. It acts as a
link to other entities evoked in the preceding discourse.
Anything you don’t eat put back in the fridge
(I was in the library last night and) and interesting guy I met
• NPs:
(Did you buy a whole new wardrobe for school? No, I have lots of clothes.) Most of my stuff
my mom gets at Alexander’s. → “Most of my stuff” relates to “lots of clothes”. New
information is “my mom gets at Aleaxnder’s” (or maybe just “at Alexander’s”.
(I heard that you really like mushrooms.) Mushrooms I’d kill for.
(What’s your favourite vegetable?) Mushrooms I find delicious.
• AdjPs:
(I can’t stand him. He’s stupid, arrogant, and totally off-the-wall.) Stupid I wouldn’t really say
he is.
(This is not another vulgar disgusting film.) Vulgar it’s not. Dumb it is. (Did we see the same
movie?) → It is restricted to cases where we have an explicit contrast between 2 properties
that are explicitly evoked in the previous discourse.
• VP preposing:
(I’ve promised to help them and) help them I will.
• Idiomatic affirmation: (it be)
(What would you like for breakfast? French toast.) French toast it is.
• With preposed “that” (to express emphatic agreement)
(It must have surprised you to hear we’re home again.) Yes, that it did.
• Fronted NPs are often contrastive:
(Do you eat cauliflower? I hate cauliflower, but) mushrooms I find delicious.
2. FOCUS complement preposing
The preposed constituent serves both as a link with the prior discourse and as the value of
the underspecified variable.
• Specifying an implied quantity
(I made a lot of cookies.) A couple of pounds I think I made for her.
(Where can I buy a pen like that? At the bookstore.) Six dollars it costs.
• Specifying implied names
(What did they name their dog?) Fido they named it. (Can you believe that…)
• Contrasting with a constituent in previous discourse
(Did you want tea?) Coffee I ordered.
PREPOSING (based on H&P, 2002)
Without inversion
With inversion
Non-
focus
[A: What’s your favourite fruit?]
B: Oranges I love.
[A: I love him. He’s attractive and
very intelligent.]
B: Intelligent I wouldn’t say he
really is.
Locative inversion (S-V➔V-S)
On the wall hung a row of portraits.
[AdvC V S ]
Negative inversion (S-Aux➔Aux-S)
Not once did he invite me to his parties.
[neg. aux S V ]
Focus
[I made a lot of pancakes.] FIFTEEN
I think I made.
