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The Syntax of Root Clauses (4)
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More on argument / adjunct
Q: Do e use the d!st!nct!on argument / adjunct only !n
relat!on to "er#s$
%: &o' &ouns reos!t!ons adject!"es may also ha"e
arguments' Cons!der the follo!ng:
(*) the!r term!nat!on of the contract
(+) The mouse sat !n the corner'
(,) -ood eather has set !n'(4) They are not art!al to #londes'
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More on argument / adjunct
."ent nom!nals l!e terminationneed an o#ject
(real!0ed as a 11 the contract !n our examle) and may
also ha"e a su#ject'
1reos!t!ons exress a relat!on #eteen a 2!gure and a
-round !'e' the 2!gure !s the o#ject to #e located
somehere and the -round reresents the locat!on !tself!n sace or t!me. 3n our examle the 2!gure !s the
mouseand the -round !s the corner'
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More on argument / adjunct
%dject!"es denote roert!es !'e' shae s!0e color
mater!al nat!onal!ty etc'
%dject!"es may ha"e the!r on o#jects (h!ch are
alays real!0ed as 11s just l!e the o#jects of nouns
and unl!e the o#jects of "er#s)' 3n our examle the
adject!"e has an o#ject blondes'
Q: Do you no of other adject!"es that need o#jects$
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1red!cates and %rguments
() 5ur 6ead of Deartment de"oured the #agel'
So far e ha"e analy0ed sentences !n terms of (!) form
(!'e' &1s 71s etc) and (!!) grammat!cal funct!on (!'e'su#ject d!rect o#ject etc')
8e can also loo at sentences from a d!fferent o!nt' 8ecan say that a "er# l!e devourcannot form a sentenceon !ts on !t needs a m!n!mal set of other elements'Chec !t for yoursel"es9
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1red!cates and %rguments
() a' ;5ur 6ead of Deartment de"oured'
#' ;De"oured the #agel'
8e refer to those elements that re
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1red!cates and %rguments
(=) 6enry tr!ed'
(>) The ol!ce !n"est!gated the allegat!on'
(?) The terror!st ga"e the marshal a acage'
(*@) Aohn #et 6enry ten ounds that he ould lose'
Monadic predicates / one place predicates
Trip!s a red!cate that needs only one argument for thesentence to #e ellBformed' 3t needs a su#ject'
Q: Can you g!"e more examles of monad!c red!cates$
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1red!cates and %rguments
Dyadic predicates / two place predicates
Investigate !s a red!cate that needs to arguments' 3t
needs a su#ject and a d!rect o#ject'
Q: Can you g!"e more examles of dyad!c red!cates$
Triadic predicates / three place predicates
Give!s a red!cates that needs three arguments' 3t needs
a su#ject a d!rect o#ject and an !nd!rect o#ject'Q: Can you g!"e more examles of tr!ad!c red!cates$
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1red!cates and %rguments
Qu!te rarely e may come across a sentence !th four
arguments'
The arguments that are !ns!de of the 71 (d!rect !nd!rect
reos!t!onal o#jects) are the internal arguments'
The argument that recedes the 71 (the su#ject) !s theexternal argument'
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1red!cates and %rguments
&ote that a sentence #r!ngs together the syntact!c s!de(!ntrans!t!"e trans!t!"e d!trans!t!"e "er#s) !th thesemant!c s!de (one lace to lace three lace
red!cates)' Semant!cally e can reresent red!catesand the!r arguments !n terms of the notat!on ofpredicatelogic
(**) T (h)
(*+) 3 ( a)(*,) - (t m )
(*4) (j h clause)
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1red!cates and %rguments
3n the red!cate log!c notat!on the "er# !s reresented#y a ca!tal letter and the arguments #y uerBcaseletters'
3f e use th!s !nd of notat!on e cannot sec!fy hoh!ch argument !s real!0ed !'e' e cant say hat sortof hrases go !th the red!cate'
8e also ha"e the ot!on of relac!ng the red!cate log!c
notat!on !th the notat!on of argument structure (aBstructure)'
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1red!cates and %rguments
(*) a' sm!le ("er#)
#' E* F&1GH
(*) a' !n"est!gate ("er#)
#' E* F&1G + F&1GH
(*=) a' g!"e ("er#)
#' E* F&1G + (F&1G) , F&1GH
(*>) a' #et ("er#)
#' E* F&1G + F&1G , F&1G 4 clauseH
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1red!cates and %rguments
&ote to deta!ls:
(!)8e ha"e underl!ned the su#ject !n the argument
structure
(!!)8e ha"e used #racets for arguments that may #e
!ml!c!t (the !nd!rect o#ject !n (*=))
(*?) The man !s so #or!ng9 6e alays g!"es me ad"!ce'
(+@) The man !s so #or!ng9 6e alays g!"es ad"!ce'99 %n !ml!c!t argument does not mean an a#sent
argument'
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Themat!c Roles
Arguments are participants in what one linguist has
called the little drama that a proposition expresses To
be a participant in a drama you must be playing a role
(%arts +@@* ' ?4)
Q: To #e more rec!se hat roles are e tal!ng a#out$
%: 8e ha"e already seen that su#jects are assoc!ated!th %gents and d!rect o#jects !th 1at!ents'
There are other roles though'
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Themat!c Roles
I %-.&T: the erson or ent!ty that !n!t!ates the e"ent
denoted #y the red!cate'
I 1%T3.&T: the erson or ent!ty that !s affected #y the
e"ent'
I T6.M.: the erson or ent!ty that !s mo"ed #y thee"ent'
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Themat!c Roles
I .J1.R3.&C.R: the erson that exer!ences acerta!n sycholog!cal state of m!nd denoted #y the"er#'
I .&.23C3%RK: the erson or ent!ty that #enef!tsfrom the e"ent denoted #y the red!cate'
I -5%L: the ent!ty toards h!ch an act!"!ty !sd!rected'
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Themat!c Roles
I S5RC.: the ent!ty from h!ch an ent!ty !s mo"ed'
I L5C%T35&: the lace !n h!ch the e"ent denoted #y
the red!cate taes lace'
I 3&STRM.&T: the means #y h!ch the e"ent
denoted #y the "er# !s carr!ed out'
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Themat!c Roles
(+*) The cler del!"ered the #r!#e to the h!gh off!c!al'
(%gent: cler / Theme: #r!#e / enef!c!ary: h!gh off!c!al)
(++) Aohn sent the letter to the rong address'
(%gent: Aohn / Theme: the letter / -oal: the rong
address)
(+,) Aohn as unusually dejected'
(.xer!encer: Aohn)
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Themat!c Roles
(+4) The man felt angs of remorse'
(.xer!encer: the man)
(+) The cler too the car from the #us!ness man'
(%gent: the cler Theme: the car Source: the man)
(+) The arcel tra"elled from London to Rome'
(Theme: the arcel Source: from London -oal: toRome)
(+=) Many stra#erry !cers l!"e !n Sa!n'
(.xer!encer: !cers Locat!on: !n Sa!n)
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Themat!c Roles
(+>) The !d rolled the #all to the fr!sy dog'
(%gent: the !d Theme: the #all -oal: the fr!sy dog)
(+?) The #all rolled to the fr!sy dog'
(Theme: the #all -oal: the fr!sy dog)
&o e can comlete the argument structure of a "er#
!th !ts corresond!ng thematic structure'
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Themat!c Roles
(,@) a' sm!le ("er#)
#' E* F&1 %gGH
(,*) a' !n"est!gate ("er#)
#' E* F&1 %gG + F&1 ThGH(,+) a' g!"e ("er#)
#' E* F&1 %gG + (F&1 enG) , F&1 ThGH
(,,) a' #et ("er#)#' E* F&1 %gG + F&1 -oalG , F&1 1at!entG 4
clause 1roos!t!onH
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Themat!c Roles
The reresentat!ons !n (,@) N (,,) !nstant!ate the
noledge that e ha"e a#out lex!cal !tems' The locusof th!s noledge !s the lex!con the mental "oca#ulary
of .ngl!sh that e ha"e as second language learners of
th!s language'
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Themat!c Roles and %djuncts
(,4) Kesterday the 6ead of Deartment greed!ly
de"oured three #agels'
The underl!ned const!tuents are a t!me ad"er#!al and a
manner ad"er#!al'Q: Can e say that these to ad"er#!als refer to
art!c!ants !n the e"ent of Ode"our!ng$
%: &o' %djuncts are not art of the argument structureand themat!c structure of a red!cate'
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Themat!c Roles and .xlet!"es
(,) 3t alays ra!ns !n London'
(,) There ere three !ttens on the sto"e'
3mersonal / eather nonBreferent!al it and ex!stent!al
there do not denote ent!t!es !n the extraBl!ngu!st!c orld'Conse
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Themat!c Roles and %ux!l!ary 7er#s
nl!e lex!cal "er#s aux!l!ary "er#s do not ass!gn / g!"e
themat!c roles to arguments'
Q: 6o do e nos th!s$
(,>) The r!me m!n!ster defends h!s cron!es'
The "er# de!ends !s a dyad!c red!cate that ass!gns the
%gent and 1at!ent role to !ts arguments:
(,?) E* F&1 %gG + F&1 1atGH
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Themat!c Roles and %ux!l!ary 7er#s
(4@)The r!me m!n!ster has defended h!s cron!es'
Th!s sentence conta!ns the erfect!"e aux!l!ary have
The sentence !n"ol"es to art!c!ants the %gent and
the 1at!ent'
These themat!c roles come from the lex!cal "er#
de!end'
3f the aux!l!ary had themat!c roles to ass!gn e ouldha"e other roles !n th!s sentence than %g 1at' 8e do not
ha"e any such th!ng'
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Themat!c Roles and %ux!l!ary 7er#s
Q: 5ay aux!l!ary "er#s such as rogress!"e be
erfect!"e have and dummy do do not ass!gn
themat!c roles' 8hat a#out modal aux!l!ar!es$
%: Modal aux!l!ar!es carry res!dual mean!ng'
(4*) 3 !ll do hate"er 3 l!e'
(4+) Matt can read eoles m!nds'(4,) Kou must ee your rom!se'
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Themat!c Roles and %ux!l!ary 7er#s
willrefers to strong "ol!t!on canrefers to a#!l!ty" must
has to do !th o#l!gat!on'
5ne m!ght say that modal aux!l!ar!es do ass!gn themat!c
roles' Let us call them ad#unct theta rolesto ee them
aart from the roles ass!gned #y the lex!cal "er#'
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8hat do e need themat!c roles for$
Cons!der the follo!ng sentences from %arts +@@* '
?=:
(44) Da"!d smashed the !ndo'
(4) The !ndo as smashed #y Da"!d'
(4) % #r!c smashed the !ndo'
(4=) Da"!d used a #r!c to smash the !ndo'
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8hat do e need themat!c roles for$
David !n (44) (4) and (4=) !s the %gent the one ho
!n!t!ates the e"ent denoted #y the "er#'
6oe"er th!s %gent !s real!0ed d!fferently:
(!) as a su#ject (!n (44) and (4=))
(!!) as the comlement of a reos!t!on (!n (4))
Q: 8hat does th!s mean$
%: 3t means that there !s no oneBtoBone corresondence#eteen themat!c roles and grammat!cal funct!ons'
8e can chec th!s o#ser"at!on further'
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8hat do e need themat!c roles for$
The window!n (44) N (4=) !s the 1at!ent the ent!ty that!s affected #y the e"ent denoted #y the "er#'
6oe"er th!s 1at!ent !s real!0ed d!fferently:
(!) as a su#ject (!n (4))(!!) as a d!rect o#ject (!n (44) (4) and (4=))
The bric$!s the 3nstrument !n (4) and (4=)
The 3nstrument gets real!0ed d!fferently:
(!) as a su#ject (!n (4))
(!!) as a d!rect o#ject (!n (4=))
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8hat do e need themat!c roles for$
8e need themat!c roles #ecause e cannot say that e
ha"e oneBtoBone corresondence #eteen these roles
and grammat!cal funct!ons'
8e also need themat!c roles to exla!n the semant!c
restr!ct!ons that "er#s !mose on the!r arguments'
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8hat do e need themat!c roles for$
(4>) The ey#oard des!gned some clothes'
(4?) The staler too a #rea'
These sentences are syntact!cally ellBformed #ut
semant!cally odd' 8e can cature th!s semant!c odd!ty !f
e say that a "er# l!e designneeds an %gent su#ject'
%gents are ty!cally an!mate ent!t!es'
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8ra!ng u themat!c roles
Let us tae stoc on themat!c roles'
I Themat!c roles are ass!gned to the arguments of the
"er#' .ach argument of the "er# !n !ts turn real!0es a
grammat!cal funct!on (su#ject d!rect o#ject etc')I Themat!c roles do not go to the adjuncts of the "er#'
%djuncts real!0e grammat!cal funct!ons though'
I Sentences can #e descr!#ed at the funct!onal le"el(su#ject d!rect o#ject etc') the form le"el (&1 71
etc') and the themat!c le"el (%gent 1at!ent etc')
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%rgumenthood Tests' Mean!ng'
3f e ant to determ!ner the num#er of arguments that a
red!cate has e must cons!der the mean!ng of the "er#
and f!gure out the art!c!ants that are !n"ol"ed !n the
e"ent or the state denoted #y the "er#'(@) The D% #el!e"ed the story of the defendant'
8e no !ntu!t!"ely that believere
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%rgumenthood Tests' Mean!ng
%ll the arguments of a red!cate must #e !n a themat!c
role relat!onsh! !th the resect!"e red!cate'
3nformat!on a#out arguments and themat!c role !s to #e
found !n the mental lex!con9
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%rgumenthood Tests' Dummy
.lements'Q: Could e say that dummy it and thereare arguments
of the "er#$
%: 8e no that dummy lex!cal !tems are called so
#ecause they ha"e no semant!c content' %#sence ofsemant!c content t!es !n !th a#sence of a themat!c role'
3f a lex!cal !tem has no themat!c role !t cant #e an
argument'
(*) There are some
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%rgumenthood Tests' 3d!om
Chuns'3d!om P exress!ons !th f!xed mean!ng' The o"erall
mean!ng of the !d!om cannot #e !nferred from the
const!tuents that mae u the !d!om'
(+) The coast !s clear'(+) means that there !s no danger any more' 8e cant
!nfer th!s mean!ng from jo!n!ng together the &1 the coast
and the 71 be clear
3d!omat!c su#jects (or o#jects) dont ha"e a themat!c role
relat!onsh! to the "er#' They are not roer arguments of
the "er#'
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The 71B3nternal 6yothes!s
8e no that "er#s g!"e a themat!c role to the!r o#jects'
8here do the themat!c roles of su#jects come from$
Cons!der the follo!ng a!r of 71s (from Marant0
*?>4):
(,) a' thro a #all
#' thro a f!t
&o let us use these 71s !n sentences of our on'
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The 71B3nternal 6yothes!s
(4) a' Marys #oyfr!end thre the #all'
#' Marys #oyfr!end thre a f!t'
Q: 8hat !s su#ject themat!c role !n (4a)$
%: The su#ject !s an %gent'
Q: 8hat !s the su#ject themat!c role !n (4#)$
%: The su#ject !s a 1at!ent'
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The 71B3nternal 6yothes!s
8e conclude from (,) and (4) that the themat!c role
of the su#ject does not come from the "er# alone #ut
from the com#!nat!on "er# o#ject of the "er#'
Themat!c role ass!gnment to the su#ject haens henthe su#ject must #e !ns!de the 71 !'e' hen !t occu!es
the sec!f!er os!t!on of the 71'
Th!s !ml!es that the su#ject starts out !ns!de the 71 and
then !t mo"es !n reB"er#al os!t!on' Th!s !s the 71B
3nternal 6yothes!s'
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The 71B3nternal 6yothes!s
%dd!t!onal e"!dence for the 71B!nternal hyothes!s
comes from the d!str!#ut!on of the soBcalled float!ng
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The 71B3nternal 6yothes!s
The os!t!on occu!ed #y the float!ng
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The 71B3nternal 6yothes!s
the
Det
senators
&
&T
&1
3
ha"e
7
allS)ec
#ought
7
ex)ens!"e cars
&17T
71
71
71
3T
31