TYPES OF SEMANTIC
ROLES
Types of Semantic Roles
• AGENT: animate and volitional initiator of any action/event.
The butler killed the maid
• CAUSER: inanimate or non-volitional entity which is directly
involved in the causation of an event.
The rain ruined the crop
Types of Semantic Roles
• PATIENT: entity which is acted upon, affected, or
created; or of which a change of state is
predicated.
The ice melted / Peter melted the ice
He prepared a paella
Types of Semantic Roles
• THEME:
▪ entity which undergoes a change of location or
possession, or whose location is being specified (i.e.
Something or someone located in a place or seen as
moving from one place to another)
The ball is in the park / We put the box on
the shelf
▪ entity about which something is being predicated
(DEPICTIVE)
The key is mine / She was happy
Types of Semantic Roles
• ATTRIBUTE
She was happy
They felt exhausted
This topic seems interesting
Kevin is my brother
She is in pain
Types of Semantic Roles
• EXPERIENCER: animate entity which perceives a stimulus or
registers a particular mental or emotional process or state.
It appears with psychological verbs or verbs of perception
(e.g. see, understand, hear, taste, frighten, etc.)
John understood the problem
Types of Semantic Roles
• Stimulus: object of perception, cognition, or emotion; entity which
is seen, heard, known, remembered, loved, hated, etc. (i.e., what
arouses the feeling or is perceived);
The situation scares me.
The jury heard his testimony.
Types of Semantic Roles
• INSTRUMENT: inanimate entity used by an agent to perform some
action
The key opened the lock
We employ a PC for our calculations
Types of Semantic Roles
• RECIPIENT: animate entity which receives or acquires something.
John gave Mary a book
• BENEFICIARY: usually animate entity that something is obtained for
or done for.I baked a cake for my daughter
You poured me a drink laced with arsenic
Types of Semantic Roles
• LOCATION: spatial (and temporal) reference point of the
event.
They stayed at the village
The meeting is at noon
• Subtypes: SOURCE, GOAL, PATH
Types of Semantic Roles
• She ran [from the post-office]SOURCE [via the railway
station]PATH [to the bus-stop.]GOAL
• Jenny walked [from school]source
• Walter drove [home]GOAL
• The coin rolled [across the floor]PATH
Types of Semantic Roles
• STATE OF AFFAIRS (SOA): We use it with Non-finite VPs (X-
Complements). It refers to situations, events, etc.
John saw Liz take the chocolate cookie
Types of Semantic Roles
• PROPOSITIONS (Props): propositional content of
clauses.
John thinks that Mary is coming to dinner.
Verb-specific Semantic Roles & θ Roles
Thinker
Giver Believer
Runner Knower
Killer Agent Presumer
Speaker Hearer Experiencer
Dancer Smeller
Feeler
Taster
Liker
Lover
Hater
Van Valin Jr, R., 2001. An Introduction to Syntax. CUP
Verb-specific Semantic Roles & θ Roles
Given to Located
Sent to Recipient Moved Theme
Handed to Given
Seen Broken
Heard Destroyed Patient
Liked Stimulus Killed
Enjoyed
Adapted from Van Valin Jr, R., 2001. An Introduction to Syntax. CUP
Semantic Roles
EXAMPLES
1. [John] gave [Mary] [a bouquet of roses]
Agent Recipient Theme
2. [John] baked [Mary] [a chocolate cake]
Agent Beneficiary Patient
3. [The key] opened [the lock]
Instrument Patient
Semantic Roles
EXERCISES
• S. Holmes heard a piercing scream.
• John enjoyed the novel.
• We put the box on the shelf.
• Mike drove to Jackie’s house.
• The burglar entered through the window.
EXERCISE:
-Semantic Roles
-Semantic Roles
(Subject/Object)
-Identify the
Semantic Role
