Syntax II
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#2 Syntactic and semantic arguments
SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC ARGUMENTS
- the essential body of every SENTENCE is a C!"SE $hose central element is the %E&' - verb phrase( single verb )short VP* or verb +head, other members )long VP* - only !ll verbs can be heads of %.s - the verb also determines $hat can or cannot occur in a sentence valence SI0.E SENTENCE designates a 1rocess or a situation ie a relation bet$een the 1artici1ants !&3"0ENTS classified according to the 4ind of role they 1lay in a sentence described by the 1redicate5 ex1ression denoting 1artici1ants in the state/event - "#re$t arg!%ents not mar4ed by a 1re1osition Jake gave Mary a bouquet of flowers. - obl#&!e '#n"#re$t( arg!%ents mar4ed by a 1re1osition Jake gave a bouquet of flowers to Mary. - arguments are obligatory because they are re6uired by the valence +syntactic and semantic, of a 1articular verb - arguments are closely associated $ith the meaning of 1redicate .&E7IC!TE an ex1ression denoting a stac4 - 1redicate of the verb $ill determine the features of arguments - eg $ith a verb the number of sub8ects is limited +because of semantics, Trees devour their prey. N9 Tigers devour their prey. 9: !&3"0ENT ST&"CT"&E the number and ty1e of arguments associated $ith a 1articular 1redicate !7;"NCTS elements $hich contribute to the meaning of the sentence as a $hole but are never necessary to com1lete the meaning of the 1redicate5 o1tional gives ne$ meaning Jack drinks (a beer ). additional information +o1tional, Jack drinks a beer in one gulp. .&E7 .&E7IC IC! !TE argu argume ment ntss < non non-ar -argum gument entss +!, C9&E )nucleus += 1redicate, arguments* < 1eri1hery < 1eri1hery Chris < ate < the a11le < in the 4itchen C9&E
!
N
!
Non-!
- verb determines the argument but not the 1eri1hery .&E7IC!TE-!&3"0ENT &E!T & E!TI9NS I9NS a, gra%%at#$al 's)nta$t#$( relat#ons ( S 9 C 1remodification 1ostmodification b, se%ant#$ roles( agent 1atient reci1ient> - grammatical relations are inde1endent from semantic roles - each argument you have in a sentence must be ac6uired a semantic role and arguments cannot bear more than one semantic role at the same time
Syntax II
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#2 Syntactic and semantic arguments
- %a+or se%ant#$ roles ( ? !3ENT 1rototy1ically animate and normally instigates the actions that are 1erformed $ilfully and intentionally +but not al$ays( kill vs murder , 2 .!TIENT undergoes a change of state or condition +kill smash break, crush, wash >, @ TAE0E similar to 1atient5 refers to entities located or $ho undergo a change of location entities $hich are 1ossessed or undergo a change of 1osition + put place give send buy>, B &ECI.IENT can a11ear syntactically as 9i or S ED.E&IENCE& usually a11ears $ith verbs denoting 1erce1tion emotion or cognition + see know believe>, 9C!TI9N 39! Jack ran to the supermarket. S9"&CE Jack ran from this house. .!TA Jack ran through the woods. F INT&"0ENT e killed him with an a!e. G 'ENEHICI!& usually a11ears as 9i - and a minor one( J STI0""S usually $ith verbs of 1erce1tion ex1erience - criteria for roles( intuition gra%%at#$al $r#ter#a - tests distinguish similar constructions - events vs states( agent
1atient
The baby chew the biscuit.
K
The baby is heavy.
- event( Lhat ha11enedK The baby chew the biscuit. 9: The baby is heavy. N9 Lhat did D doK M D = agent Lhat ha11ened to DK M D = 1atient - other tests for agents( M $h-cleft 6uestions( $hat D did $as> $hat D is doing is> M 1utting the verb into im1erative or 1rogressive +$ith activity verbs, "hew the biscuit# $hat is the patient doing% a, &The patient is suffering a lot of pain. ST!TE +ex1eriencer, so N9 b, The patient is annoying the nurses. E%ENT +agent, 9: - protot)p#$al agents human beings acting of their o$n volition +but kill and murder volition not al$ays a factor,5 instigating an action and 1roducing an effect on sth - less t)p#$al agents do not have volition nor instigate an action This arch supports the tower. The computer played si! games. The flood swept away the village. M natural forces can be agents in English
Syntax II
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#2 Syntactic and semantic arguments
ST!TE - neither agent or 1atient but ne!tral - some cases do stand in bet$een but they are rare M neutral The baby is heavy. The vase stood on the table. M could be a theme - $ith stative verbs li4e know like see believe +1erce1tion emotion, S can be an e,per#en$er 'he knows the answer.M ex1eriencer - some direct ob8ects are not ty1ical 1atients or themes but rather res!lts because of the lexical meaning of the verb $ren build 't. auls "athedral. The dog dug a hole in the ground. Lhat ha11ened to the Cathedral/holeK - still they behave li4e pat#ents and can be treated as such because $e donOt $ant to com1licate the $hole thing $ith more semantic roles - prepos#t#ons ma4e the $hole thing different The window was broken with a hammer. hammer = instrument agent = not s1ecified - someone bro4e the $indo$ using a hammer The window was broken by a hammer. hammer = agent - ha11ened accidentally - the decision $as based on gra%%at#$al $r#ter#a - grammatical categories establish %E& '&9!7 C!TE39&IES and 3ENE&! &9ES - eg it $ould be too much to further divide 1atient into result so $e say that result is 8ust a less t)p#$al pat#ent
INTE&.&ET!TI9NS 9H ! C!"SE( information from the syntactic structure +eg 1re1ositions, information from the lexical verb information from the lexical meaning of the nouns given in a sentence E,er$#se ( 7efine the roles of sub8ects and direct ob8ects in these sentences( S 9d ? The farmer 4illed the sna4e !3ENT .!TIENT INST&"0ENT .!TIENT 2 The roc4 bro4e the $indo$ @ The la$yer received the summons &ECI.IENT TAE0E B 0any tourists sa$ the accident ED.E&IENCE& STI0""S Sally 1resented 'ill $ith the a$ard !3ENT &ECI.IENT The mugger robbed Sam of PQ !3ENT S9"&CE !3ENT ED.E&IENCE& F The clo$n amused the child
can also be a less ty1ical agent
