1. Topic 7: participant role Introduction to Semantics

2. Thematic role The semantic analysis of a simple sentence Referring expressions Predicate John opened the door with the key. Referring expressions John, the door, the key Predicate open

3. Participant roles (1) AGENT The person who carries out the action AFFECTED/PATIENT The person/thing that receive the action. The state of the person/thing could be changed. INSTRUMENT The tool used to perform the action

4. Analysis A burglar ransacked my house. AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED: INSTRUMENT: My mother’s bowl was broken by the cat. AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED: INSTRUMENT:

5. Participant roles (2) LOCATION Where the action takes place BENEFICIARY The person who receive the positive or negative results of the action, depending on the action in question

6. analysis Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED: INSTRUMENT: LOCATION: BENEFICIARY: John gave his girlfriend a rose. AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED: INSTRUMENT: LOCATION: BENEFICIARY:

7. Participant roles (3) EXPERIENCER The person who cognitively perceive sensory or emotional experience without any control of the situation. THEME The person/thing that undergoes the action but does not change its state Can be used interchangeably with PATIENT in some cases.

8. analysis John saw a movie last night. AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED: INSTRUMENT: LOCATION: BENEFICIARY: EXPERIENCER: THEME: John saw Mary in Taipei. AGENT: PATIENT/AFFECTED: INSTRUMENT: LOCATION: BENEFICIARY: EXPERIENCER: THEME:

9. Exercise: Mary roasted the duck. John smelled the burning dinner in the kitchen. The terrorists destroyed the building with a bomb.