mathematics

Functional sentence perspective

Functional sentence perspective is a mathematics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Functional sentence perspective rather than just read about it. In short: In linguistics, functional sentence perspective (FSP) is a theory describing the information structure of the sentence and language communication in general. It has been developed in the tradition of the Prague School of Functional and Structural Linguistics together with its sister theory, Topic-Focus Articulation.

Key takeaways

Functional sentence perspective belongs to mathematics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Functional sentence perspective to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Functional sentence perspective from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In linguistics, functional sentence perspective (FSP) is a theory describing the information structure of the sentence and language communication in general. It has been developed in the tradition of the Prague School of Functional and Structural Linguistics together with its sister theory, Topic-Focus Articulation. The key concepts of FSP were laid down by Jan Firbas in the mid-1950s on the basis of the linguistic work of Vilém Mathesius, especially his idea of functional syntax in linguistic characterology of language.

Terminology The term 'functional sentence perspective' was created by Jan Firbas as a more convenient English equivalent of Mathesius’ Czech term aktuální členění větné:

“It is not without interest to note that Mathesius, who knew Weil’s work, coined the felicitous term ‘aktuální členění větné. … As English 'actual' is not an exact equivalent of Czech ‘aktuální’, another term had to be found for English. I accepted Professor Josef Vachek’s suggestion and started using the term 'functional sentence perspective' (FSP; Firbas 1957). The term is based on Mathesius’ term ‘Satzperspektive’. Vachek’s suggestion has added the qualification ‘functional’. This is the way the term 'functional sentence perspective' (FSP) has found its way into the literature.” Within Czech linguistics the Czech calque of the English term Functional Sentence Perspective funkční větná perspektiva is nowadays used to refer to the approach stemming from the writings of Jan Firbas and his followers, while the original Mathesius’ Czech term aktuální členění větné tends to be associated with the group of linguists developing the Topic-Focus Articulation, i.e. Petr Sgall, Eva Hajičová, Jarmila Panevová and their disciples, despite the fact that both terms are still sometimes used interchangeably in some Czech contributions to the topic of information structure of language. (Cf. Karlík - Nekula - Pleskalová (2002))

Key terms communicative dynamism theme, theme proper, diatheme, hypertheme, thematic progressions transition, transition proper rheme, rheme proper, rhematizers communicative units, communicative fields

FSP factors sentence linearity Firbasian dynamic semantic scales, dynamic semantic functions context prosody

Key researchers František Daneš Libuše Dušková Jan Firbas Vilém Mathesius Aleš Svoboda

See also Topic-comment Prague school (linguistics) Functional theories of grammar

References Firbas, J. (1957) "On the problem of non-thematic subjects in contemporary English", Časopis pro moderní filologii 39, pp. 171–3. (English summary of "K otázce nezákladových podmětů v současné angličtině", ib. pp. 22–42 and 165–73) Firbas, J. (1994) "Round table on functional linguistics, 1 April 1993, University of Vienna: Prof. J. Firbas", VIenna English Working paperS, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 4–5 Karlík P., Nekula M., Pleskalová J. (ed.) (2002) Encyklopedický slovník češtiny, Prague: Nakl. Lidové noviny. ISBN 80-7106-484-X

Further reading Martin Drápela (2015) "The FSP bibliography" IN Martin Drápela (Ed.): A Bibliography of Functional Sentence Perspective 1956-2011, Brno: Masaryk University, pp 33-186. ISBN 978-80-210-7111-7 Libuše Dušková (2015) "Czech approaches to information structure: theory and applications" IN Martin Drápela (Ed.): A Bibliography of Functional Sentence Perspective 1956-2011, Brno: Masaryk University, pp 9-32. ISBN 978-80-210-7111-7 Jan Firbas (1992) Functional sentence perspective in written and spoken communication, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Jan Firbas (1999) "Communicative dynamism" IN Jef Verschueren, Jan-Ola Östman, Jan Blommaert and Chris Bulcaen (Eds.): Handbook of Pragmatics - 1999 Installment, Amsterdam: John Benjamins. ISBN 978-90-272-2573-3 Vilém Mathesius (1939) "O tak zvaném aktuálním členění větném" [On the so-called functional sentence perspective], Slovo a slovesnost 5, pp. 171–4 Vilém Mathesius (1975) A Functional analysis of present day English on a general linguistic basis, Prague: Academia Aleš Svoboda (1968) "The hierarchy of communicative units and fields as illustrated by English attributive constructions", Brno Studies in English 7, pp. 49–101. ISSN 1211-1791 Aleš Svoboda (1981) Diatheme (A study in thematic elements, their contextual ties, thematic progressions and scene progressions based on a text from Ælfric), Brno: Filozofická fakulta Masarykovy univerzity Aleš Svoboda (1989) Kapitoly z funkční syntaxe [Chapters from functional syntax], Prague: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství Henri Weil (1887) De l'ordre des mots dans les langues anciennes comparées aux langues modernes: question de grammaire générale. 1844. Published in English as The order of words in the ancient languages compared with that of the modern languages.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Functional sentence perspective

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Functional sentence perspective claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In mathematics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Functional sentence perspective before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Functional sentence perspective ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Functional sentence perspective

In research: Functional sentence perspective appears in mathematics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Functional sentence perspective in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Functional sentence perspective is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Linguistics, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Functional sentence perspective outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Functional sentence perspective in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Functional sentence perspective means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Functional sentence perspective out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Functional sentence perspective in simple terms?

Why does Functional sentence perspective matter?

Because it connects several mathematics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Functional sentence perspective?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Functional sentence perspective.