Topic 7: participant role

Introduction to Semantics

Thematic role

The semantic analysis of a simple sentence

Referring expressionsPredicate

John opened the door with the key.

Referring expressionsJohn, the door, the key

Predicateopen

Participant roles (1)

AGENTThe person who carries out the action

AFFECTED/PATIENT The person/thing that receive the action.The state of the person/thing could be changed.

INSTRUMENT The tool used to perform the action

Analysis

A burglar ransacked my house.AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED:INSTRUMENT:

My mother’s bowl was broken by the cat.

AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED:INSTRUMENT:

Participant roles (2)

LOCATIONWhere the action takes place

BENEFICIARY The person who receive the positive or negative results of the action, depending on the action in question

analysis

Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED:INSTRUMENT: LOCATION:BENEFICIARY:

John gave his girlfriend a rose. AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED:INSTRUMENT: LOCATION:BENEFICIARY:

Participant roles (3)

EXPERIENCERThe person who cognitively perceive sensory or emotional experience without any control of the situation.

THEME The person/thing that undergoes the action but does not change its state Can be used interchangeably with PATIENT in some cases.

analysis

John saw a movie last night.AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED:INSTRUMENT: LOCATION:BENEFICIARY:EXPERIENCER:THEME:

John saw Mary in Taipei. AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED:INSTRUMENT: LOCATION:BENEFICIARY:EXPERIENCER:THEME:

Exercise:

Mary roasted the duck.John smelled the burning dinner in the kitchen. The terrorists destroyed the building with a bomb.