Thematicroles

Itisoftenconvenienttoidentifyargumentsof(Fregean)predicatesintermsofthefollowing
thematicroles,whichareillustratedbelow.
agent
instrument
cause
experiencer
recipient
path
location
measure
theme
Agentsareargumentsthatbringaboutastateofaffairs.Thelinebetweenagents,ontheone
hand,andinstrumentsorcauses,ontheother,canbefuzzy,butagentsare(orare
perceivedtobe)consciousorsentient,inawaythatinstrumentsorcausesaren't.Some
examplesaregivenin(1)(3).
(1) a. Agent:
Thelionsdevouredthewildebeest.
b.
Theboyscaughtsomefish.
c.
Mymotherwrotemealetter.
(2) a. Instrument: Thiskeyopensthedoortothemainoffice.
b.
Theymusthaveusedindelibleink.
(3) a. Cause:
Hurricaneforcewindsdemolishedmuchofthetown.
b.
Anepidemickilledoffallofthetomatoes.
c.
Aneconomicdownturnputthousandsofworkersoutofwork.
Experiencersareargumentsthatundergoasensory,cognitive,oremotionalexperience.
(4) a. Experiencer: Therhesusmonkeyhadneverseensnowbefore.
b.
Manypeoplefearsnakes.
c.
Theirresourcefulnessstruckherasadmirable.
Recipientsareargumentsthatreceivesomething(whethergoodorbad)inasituation.
(5) a. Recipient: Theygavetheworkersaraise.
b.
Hesparedmehisusualsobstory.
c.
Ipaidmylandlordtherent.
Recipientscanbetheendpointsofpaths.
(6) a. Path: I'dliketosendthispackagetomysister.
(mysister=recipient)
b.
Luckyracedacrossthelawntotheedgeoftheforest.
c.
Wedrovethescenicroute.

Locationsaresimplyplaceslikerecipients,theycanserveasendpointsofpaths.(Chapter
7containssomediscussionconcerningthedifferencebetweenrecipientsandlocations).
(7) a. Location: Weputthebookontheshelf.
b.
I'dliketosendthispackagetoFrance.
(to+France=path)
c.
Luckyracedacrossthelawntotheedgeoftheforest.
(to+theedgeoftheforest=path)
Measureoramountargumentsexpressextensionalongsomedimension(length,duration,
cost,andsoon).
(8) a. Measure: Theyrowedforthreedays.
b.
Thebookcoststendollars.
Finally,thethematicroleofthemeissomethingofacatchall.Accordingtoonedefinition,
'theme'referstoanargumentundergoingmotionofsomesort,includingmotionina
metaphoricalsense,suchasachangeofstate.Asisusualinthesyntacticliterature,wewill
alsousethetermforargumentsthataremost'affected'inasituationorforthecontentofan
experience.
(9) a. Theme: Thelionsdevouredthewildebeest.
b.
Thiskeyopensthedoortothemainoffice.
c.
Hurricaneforcewindsdemolishedmuchofthetown.
d.
Theygavetheworkersaraise.
e.
I'dliketosendthispackagetoFrance.
f.
Manypeoplefearsnakes.