Thematic role: Difference between revisions

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A '''thematic role''' or '''semantic role''' is a way in which an object can relate to an event.
A '''thematic role''' or '''semantic role''' is a way in which an object can relate to an event.


Some examples of thematic roles are “agent” (who is willfully causing this event?), “instrument” (what is used to carry out this event?), or “patient” (what is affected/changed by this event?).
Some examples of thematic roles are:
* “agent”: who is willfully causing this event?
* “instrument”: what is used to carry out this event?
* “patient”: who or what is affected/changed by this event?


== Syntactic and thematic roles ==
== Syntactic and thematic roles ==
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<blockquote>{{t|chou}}: ___ is an event with ___ as its instrument.</blockquote>
<blockquote>{{t|chou}}: ___ is an event with ___ as its instrument.</blockquote>


In these two sentences, the ''syntactic'' subject and object are exchanged, but the ''thematic'' roles stay the same: Brutus, the agent, is causing change, while Caesar, the patient, suffers this change.
=== An example ===
In the two sentences below, the ''syntactic'' subject and object are exchanged, but the ''thematic'' roles stay the same: Brutus, the agent, is causing change, while Caesar, the patient, suffers this change.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
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We say that the stabbing-event, or the being-stabbed-event, “happens using” a knife.
We say that the stabbing-event, or the being-stabbed-event, “happens using” a knife.


== Overview of thematic role words ==
== Table of thematic role words ==
 
Each of these has a definition like: “___ is an event with ___ as its '''(Role)'''.”


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Toaq word !! Definition !! Example
! Toaq word !! Role !! Example
|-
|-
| {{t|chou}}
| {{t|chou}}
| ___ is an event with ___ as its '''instrument'''.
| Instrument
| {{t|chòu sa tỏemy}} “<u>using</u> a knife”
| {{t|chòu sa tỏemy}}, “<u>using</u> a knife”
|-
|-
| {{t|nhe}}
| {{t|nhe}}
| ___ is an event with ___ as its '''extent'''.
| Extent
| {{t|Lỏq náo nhè sáqheı kẻıcıu}}, “the water is <u>30°C</u> hot”
| {{t|lỏq náo nhè sáqheı kẻıcıu}}, “the water is <u>30°C</u> hot”
|-
|-
! colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | Words below this line are unofficial
! colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | Words below this line are unofficial
|-
|-
| {{t|sıy}}
| {{t|sıy}}
| ___ is an event with ___ as its '''starting point, source, origin'''.
| Starting point, source, origin
| {{t|Jảra nháo sìy búe}}, “they run <u>from</u> the house”
| {{t|jảra nháo sìy búe}}, “they run <u>from</u> the house”
|-
|-
| {{t|fay}}
| {{t|fay}}
| ___ is an event with ___ as its '''end point, direction, goal'''.
| End point, direction, goal
| {{t|Jảra nháo fày búe}}, “they run <u>toward</u> the house”
| {{t|jảra nháo fày búe}}, “they run <u>toward</u> the house”
|-
|-
| {{t|puoq}}
| {{t|puoq}}
| ___ is an event with ___ as its '''purpose'''.
| Purpose
| {{t|pùoq jâı súq}}, “<u>so that</u> you may be happy”
| {{t|pùoq jâı súq}}, “<u>so that</u> you may be happy”
|-
|-
| {{t|gekyı}}<ref>{{t|kyı}} is an invalid syllable, marking these words as somewhat more experimental than the others.</ref>
| {{t|gekyı}}<ref>{{t|kyı}} is an invalid syllable, marking these words as somewhat more experimental than the others.</ref>
| ___ is an event with ___ as its '''stimulus'''.
| Stimulus
| {{t|Ảchu hó gèkyı póıbā}}, “She sneezes <u>because of/from</u> the grass”
| {{t|ảchu jí gèkyı hóegıo}}, “I sneeze <u>from</u> the sunlight”
|-
|-
| {{t|juqkyı}}
| {{t|juqkyı}}
| … '''recipient/benefactor'''
| Recipient, benefactor
| {{t|Sủaq jí jùqkyı súq}}, “I sing <u>for</u> you”
| {{t|sủaq jí jùqkyı súq}}, “I sing <u>for</u> you”
|-
|-
| {{t|toıkyı}}
| {{t|toıkyı}}
| … '''agent'''
| Agent
| Usually automatically assigned via syntactic slots.
| {{t|pỏaq núoqmy tòıkyı jí}}, “the mirror shatters <u>by my doing</u>”
|-
|-
| {{t|tekyı}}
| {{t|tekyı}}
| … '''patient'''
| Patient
| Usually automatically assigned via syntactic slots.
| {{t|rủqshua tètyı jí}}, “it rains <u>on (affecting, i.e. wetting)</u> me”
|-
|-
| {{t|taqkyı}}
| {{t|taqkyı}}
| … '''agent + patient'''
| Agent + patient (affecting self)
| Usually automatically assigned via syntactic slots.
|  
|-
|-
| {{t|lıekyı}}
| {{t|lıekyı}}
| … '''experiencer'''
| Experiencer
|
|
|}
|}
“Agent” and “patient” roles are usually baked into a transitive verb, so translating {{t|toıkyı}} and {{t|tekyı}} can be a bit tricky or ambiguous.