Semantics
What is the semantic role of each noun phrase in each of the sentences below? Label
each noun phrase with the initial for the appropriate thematic role above it.
a agent: responsible initiator of an action
p patient: entity that undergoes change of state (this is used somewhat broadly)
i
instrument: intermediary through which an agent performs the action
c cause: natural force that causes a change of state
r recipient: that which receives a physical object
b benefactive: that for which an action is performed
l
locative: the location of an action or state
t temporal: the time at which the action or state occurred
e experiencer: that which receives sensory input (also includes thoughts & feelings)
1. A doctor finally diagnosed me last week.
2. Last week I was finally diagnosed by a doctor.
3. Have you heard? A freak tornado carried Dick Cheney off to Dubuque.
4. Spoiled kumquats pelted the bad singer, while rain drenched his audience.
5. The teacher thinks we should draw trees in pencil.
6. Can you give this note to your mom for me?
7. She saw the city that the rabid clams pillaged.
8. The man who came to dinner ate the delicious rutabaga.
Metaphors we live by
George Lakoff & Mark Johnson, 1980.
What is the metaphor exemplified by each set of expressions? Can you think of
additional expressions that fit the same metaphor?
1. Is that the foundation for your theory?
The theory needs more support.
The argument is shaky.
We need some more facts or the argument will fall apart.
We need to construct a strong argument for that.
We need to buttress the theory with solid arguments.
The theory will stand or fall on the strength of that argument.
The argument collapsed.
They exploded his latest theory.
So far we have only put together the framework of the theory.
2. What he said left a bad taste in my mouth.
All this paper has in it are half-baked ideas and warmed-over theories.
There are too many facts here for me to digest them all.
I just can’t swallow that claim.
That argument smells fishy.
Let me stew over that for a while.
Now there’s a theory you can really sink your teeth into.
We need to let that idea percolate for a while.
That’s food for thought.
He’s a voracious reader.
We don’t need to spoon-feed our students.
He devoured the book.
Let’s let that idea simmer on the back burner for a while.
3. I’m crazy about her.
She drives me out of my mind.
He constantly raves about her.
She’s gone mad over him.
I’m just wild about Harry.
4. I’m looking forward to seeing you!
We have our whole lives ahead of us.
She’s very mature for her age—she’s left childish ways behind.
Graduation is behind us.