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There are quite a few comments on [another
question](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/9818/how-
does-%E3%81%AE%E3%81%AF-work-in-this-sentence) discussing the sentence
`彼が持っているのは二百円です`, in which the emphasis apparently falls on `二百円`. I posted a
comment asking if this could be explained as the pattern AはB emphasizing B
rather than A, but I received the answer "No. Why?" I decided to delete my
comment and create a separate question to discuss what I meant.

Here was my reasoning:

In _Japanese: A Comprehensive Grammar_ , there's a section comparing は and が,
which says the following (p.588):

> When attached to the subject, **ga** emphasizes what precedes it, whereas
> **wa** focuses on what follows, i.e. pred. (in English, this difference can
> sometimes be captured by intonational stress).

In fact, it refers to は as a "focus particle" (p.577):

> **wa** is a focus particle, but unlike **mo** (see 94), which focuses the N,
> etc. it is attached to, the basic function of **wa** is to focus on what
> follows, i.e. the pred.

Later, it describes a specific use of は, "marking known information" (p.580):

> One function of **wa** , which is in keeping with its pred.-focusing effect,
> is to be attached to information that is already known or understood. In
> this use, **wa** has an effect similar to the English definite article (and
> other cases where a N refers to something known or previously mentioned).

So, in the sentence `彼が持っているのは二百円です`, I interpreted `は` as marking a subject,
and in particular, marking known information (`彼が持っているの`). This causes the
focus to fall on the right half, as described above. I tried to express this
generally as "the pattern AはB emphasizing B, not A".

Does this make sense? If not, can someone explain why it is wrong?
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grammar particle-は
AはB emphasizing B, rather than A
One way to interpret 「ＡはＢ」 is "something [that is] (B), which happens to be
(A)".

Conversely, 「ＡがＢ」 can be interpreted as "(A) is [doing] something, which
happens to be (B)".
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が is not always emphasis, it is also used as a subject marker in the
subordinate clause, and things like passive form.

(私が)持つ200円を私が落とした。 - It was me who dropped 200 JPY (derp!)  
私が持つ200円を落とした。 - Dropped the 200 JPY carried by me.  
私が持つ200円が落ちた。 - It was the 200 JPY I had that made itself mobile.
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> So, in the sentence 彼が持っているのは二百円です, I interpreted は as marking a subject,
> and in particular, marking known information (彼が持っているの). This causes the
> focus to fall on the right half, as described above. I tried to express this
> generally as "the pattern AはB emphasizing B, not A". Does this make sense?

Yes, basically I agree... at least this is what I learned in 言語学概論(Basic
Linguistics) class at college I think. I don't know if this would be any help
but I remember learning something like this when I studied 情報構造(information
structure), 旧情報・新情報(old/new information), 焦点(focus) etc.  
  

> 私は山田です。---  
>

When you're asked your name, you'll probably say 私は山田です, not 私が山田です, and
you'll put the stress on 山田です. 私は part is the known/old information and 山田です
is the new information and more important, so the focus is placed on 山田です.  

> 私が山田です。---  
>

When someone who doesn't know you is looking for you, asking
山田さんはどの人ですか?/誰が山田さん?, then you'll probably say 私が山田です, not 私は山田です, with a
stress on 私が. You'll probably say the 私が with a slightly higher tone than
山田です. This time 山田 is the old information and 私 is the new information, and
the focus falls on 私が, not on 山田です.  

* * *

There might be some cases where the focus falls on A in the pattern "AはB":  

> りんごを食べたのは _彼です_ 。---  
>

When you say りんごを食べたのは彼です (or 彼がりんごを食べました。) as a response to
誰がりんごを食べたの?/りんごを食べたのは誰?, you'll probably place a stress on 彼です, because 彼 is
the new, more important information.  

> _りんごを食べたのは_ 彼です。---  
>

However, when you want to say "He ate the apple, but (it's not his fault,
because) I made him eat it...", you might say りんごを食べたのは彼です。でも、食べさせたのは私です.
Here, you'll place the stress on りんごを食べたのは, not on 彼です.
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