Marija Jovanovic Advanced Linguistics Master program in English Studies

Mid Sweden University November 14, 2013

Advanced-level Linguistics Assignment: Semantics 1. Work out a list that not only seems to have the widest acceptance among linguists but also has the best application when labelling the various roles highlighted in bold in each of the sentences below. 2. For each sentence, label the role highlighted in bold in each sentence and explain why you have assigned that role (the same role may apply in more than one sentence). 3. Post your answers in the discussion forum (work in pairs or groups of three), and try to reach agreement on both a list and the labels for the roles highlighted below. After this discussion, revise your answers as appropriate and submit your answers in the Advanced-level Linguistics Assignment: Semantics drop box.

I have looked at about 5 sources on the Internet, two university websites and the defintions made by Kreidler, Alan Cruse and Aarts. (K) stands for Kreidler due to the fact that the name of his definitions sometimes differ from the other findings. Role actor experiencer affected (k) ?? Description Performs an action without affecting any other entity. Experiences/is affected by the event or state without having direct control over it. Emotional. Occurrence Only found on Kreidlers list. Called affected on Kreidlers list but found as experiencer on all other lists. Only found on Kreidlers list. Found on every list, including Kreidlers. The subject in a sentence. Example Megan jumped. Many people fear snakes. The teacher is annoying the students. Michael loves cheese. Lisa kicked the bucket. The boys caught some fish

affecting agent

Affects another entity without any action. Affects some other entity by its action, the doer of the action.

Neil smashed the potatoes

Marija Jovanovic Advanced Linguistics Master program in English Studies

Mid Sweden University November 14, 2013

effect

patient theme (k) affected (k) ?

Comes into existence through the action of the predicate. Topic of a predicate that does not express action a stative predicate, a participant/item which the verb characterizes as having something happen to it. Changes state.

Only found on Kreidlers list. On every list except Kreidlers. Similar to Kreidlers theme or perhaps affected?

Tillie baked a pie.

He killed the dragon. Sue mowed the lawn

theme

Is moved by the action or event, but remains in a state or position.

On every list.

The house is small.

benefactive

source instrument

locative/location place (k) cause

The entity that benefits On all lists except from the action or event. Kreidlers. Different names. The location or entity from Found on most which something moves. lists. The medium by which Not on Kreidlers action or event is carried list but on the out others. Expressing the location in Found on every a sentence with a verb of list but with location. different names. What caused the action to Found on most occur lists but not on Kreidlers.

I helped my brother with his homework I am from Sweden. He killed his victims with an axe. Lisa is in the bathroom. The fireman climbed a ladder. The typhoon killed the population.

Sentence a. John cut back these bushes. b. Roberto passed the ball wide.

Role patient

Why? A participant, something happens to the bushes, they are cut back. It is moved by the action of the agent but does not change state.

theme (not according to Kreidler) source

c. We got the idea from a French magazine.

The location from where the idea is taken, however it is not a place so I wonder if it really is applicable to this predicate. However, it can be

Marija Jovanovic Advanced Linguistics Master program in English Studies

Mid Sweden University November 14, 2013

seen as a metaphorical movement. d. Kevin felt ill. experiencer Effected by an event without having control over it. The pen is the medium by which the action (signed) is carried out. The noise was the cause to the passengers being frightened The friends could be the experiencers of the joke, however we do not know if they were emotionally affected by the joke. If they are the patients than a change of state is required which is not quite the case. Remains in a state or a position. The item that is used to perform the action. I benefit from the action of baking. Expresses the location where the action is performed. The rock is affected by the event, something happens to it, it goes through a change. The ice goes through a change and something happens to it. The location from which something moves. Experiences seeing the smoke without having control over it. Does not have control over the action. I do not consider any of the roles applicable to this argument.

e. They signed the treaty with instrument the same pen. f. The noise frightened the passengers. g. Pat told the joke to his friends. cause

experiencer or patient?

h. The book is in the library. i. She cleaned the wound with an antiseptic wipe. j. The baked me a cake. k. The band played in a marquee. l. Fred shattered the rock.

theme instrument

benefactive locative

patient/affected

m. The sun melted the ice.

patient

n. The plane came back from Kinshasa. o. Mary saw the smoke.

source

experiencer

p. He heard the door shut.

experiencer

q. She handed her licence to the policeman.

theme?

Marija Jovanovic Advanced Linguistics Master program in English Studies

Mid Sweden University November 14, 2013

r. The monster was hiding under the bed. s. The fox jumped out of the ditch. t. David cooked the rashers. u. Fred threw the rock.

locative actor

Expressing the location of the predicate. Does not affect any other entity while performing the action. Affects the rashers by his action. Is moved by the agent but does not undergo a change, keeps its state. His grandmother benefits from the action. Emotional about the breeze and does not any control over it?

agent theme

v. Robert filled in the form for his grandmother. w. John didnt like the cool breeze.

benefactive

experiencer?

4. AGENT: the initiator of some action, capable of acting with volition. Jack ate the beans. 5. PATIENT: the entity undergoing the effect of some action, often undergoing some change of state. Sue mowed the lawn. 6. THEME: the entity which is moved by an action, or whose location is described. Fred threw the rock. 7. EXPERIENCER: the entity which is aware of the action or state described by the predicate but which is not in control of the action or state. Kim saw the deer. LING 222: Thematic Roles 2 1 a. BENEFICIARY: the entity for whose benefit the action was performed. Mary studied hard for her mother. b. INSTRUMENT: the means by which an action is performed or something comes about. Fred opened the lock with a paper clip. c. LOCATION: the place in which something is situated or takes place. The picture hangs above the fireplace.

Marija Jovanovic Advanced Linguistics Master program in English Studies

Mid Sweden University November 14, 2013

d. GOAL: the entity towards which something moves, either literally or metaphorically. Lee walked to school. e. SOURCE: the entity from which something moves, either literally or metaphorically. Sue ran from the policeman.

Cant c be a source due to to the fact it is a metaphorical location? Dont think g are the theme, shouldnt the joke be the theme of the sentence? Q recipient sound very appropriate, i did not have it in my list.