Difference between revisions of "Thematic Relation (definition)"

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[[Category:Technical Definitions]]
 
[[Category:Technical Definitions]]
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Semantically, every clause contains a verb which, in combination with the nouns present in the clause, forms a notion of an event or a state. Thematic roles classify the semantic relationships between a verb and the nouns in its clause.
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Thematic relations classify the semantic relationships between a verb and the nouns in its clause.
  
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For instance, the notion of kissing requires an agent and a patient (sometimes called a theme) to make a complete semantic event. These thematic roles are expressed through nouns, so we may say that in (1) ''Smith'' takes the agent thematic role, and ''Jones'' takes the patient (or theme) thematic role.
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For instance, the notion of kissing requires an [[Agent (definition)|agent]] and a [[Theme (definition)|theme]] to make a complete semantic event. These thematic relations are expressed through noun phrases, so we may say that in (1) ''Smith'' takes the agent thematic relation, and ''Jones'' takes the theme thematic relation.
  
 
:''1) Smith kissed Jones.''
 
:''1) Smith kissed Jones.''
  
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''Smith'' takes the agent role because he or she is the one who does the kissing. ''Jones'' takes the patient thematic role because he or she is the one being kissed.
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''Smith'' takes the agent role because he or she is the one who does the kissing. ''Jones'' takes the theme role because he or she is the one being kissed.
  
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Linguists disagree on what an exhaustive inventory of thematic roles would consist of. However, the following are widely accepted (adapted from Carnie 2006):
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Linguists disagree on what an exhaustive inventory of thematic relations would consist of. However, the following are widely accepted (adapted from Carnie 2006):
  
 
:• [[Agent (definition)|'''Agents''']] do or precipitate the action
 
:• [[Agent (definition)|'''Agents''']] do or precipitate the action
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:• [[Patient (definition)|'''Patients''']] (or themes) are recipients of the action
 
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:• [[Experiencer (definition)|'''Experiencers''']] feel or perceive an event
 
:• [[Experiencer (definition)|'''Experiencers''']] feel or perceive an event
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:• [[Theme (definition)|'''Themes''']] are moved, experienced or perceived (often also called "patients"
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:• [[Theme (definition)|'''Themes''']] are moved, experienced or perceived
 
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:• [[Goal (definition)|'''Goals''']] are entities toward which movement occurs  
 
:• [[Goal (definition)|'''Goals''']] are entities toward which movement occurs  
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:• [[Source (definition)|'''Sources''']] are entities from which movement occurs
 
:• [[Source (definition)|'''Sources''']] are entities from which movement occurs
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:• [[Location (definition)|'''Locations''']] are the places in which events occur
 
:• [[Location (definition)|'''Locations''']] are the places in which events occur
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:• [[Instrument (definition)|'''Instruments''']] are used to perform an action
 
:• [[Instrument (definition)|'''Instruments''']] are used to perform an action
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:• [[Beneficiary (definition)|'''Beneficiaries''']] are those for whom an event takes place
 
:• [[Beneficiary (definition)|'''Beneficiaries''']] are those for whom an event takes place
  
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Note that many of these thematic roles correlate with traditional [[Case (definition)|case]] distinctions. Thematic roles are considered purely semantic classes, and one syntactic argument may bear more than one thematic role. But clearly thematic roles do have an effect on syntax; in some generative grammars this interface with syntactic structure is handled through [[Theta Role (definition)|theta roles]].
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Note that many of these thematic relations correlate with traditional [[Case (definition)|case]] distinctions. Thematic relations are considered purely semantic classes, and one syntactic argument may bear more than one thematic relation. But clearly thematic relations do have an effect on syntax; in some generative grammars this interface with syntactic structure is handled through [[Theta Role (definition)|theta roles]].
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
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==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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*wikipedia article on Thematic Roles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_relation
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The link below takes you away from the Gaelic Wiki to Wikipedia. Since wikipedia pages can be edited by anyone, they often contain inaccurate information. So be careful!
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*wikipedia article on Thematic Relations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_relation
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
  
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*Carnie, Andrew. 2006. Syntax: A Generative introduction. 2nd Edition. Blackwell Publishers.  
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*Carnie, Andrew. 2006. Syntax: A Generative introduction. 2nd Edition. Blackwell Publishers. ISBN 1405133848
  
 
[[Category: Technical Definitions]]
 
[[Category: Technical Definitions]]
 
[[Category: Syntax]]
 
[[Category: Syntax]]
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[[Category: Semantics]]
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[[Category: Thematic Relations]]

Latest revision as of 13:44, 6 June 2012

Thematic relations classify the semantic relationships between a verb and the nouns in its clause.

For instance, the notion of kissing requires an agent and a theme to make a complete semantic event. These thematic relations are expressed through noun phrases, so we may say that in (1) Smith takes the agent thematic relation, and Jones takes the theme thematic relation.

1) Smith kissed Jones.

Smith takes the agent role because he or she is the one who does the kissing. Jones takes the theme role because he or she is the one being kissed.

Linguists disagree on what an exhaustive inventory of thematic relations would consist of. However, the following are widely accepted (adapted from Carnie 2006):

• Agents do or precipitate the action
• Experiencers feel or perceive an event
• Themes are moved, experienced or perceived (often also called "patients"
• Goals are entities toward which movement occurs
• Sources are entities from which movement occurs
• Locations are the places in which events occur
• Instruments are used to perform an action
• Beneficiaries are those for whom an event takes place

Note that many of these thematic relations correlate with traditional case distinctions. Thematic relations are considered purely semantic classes, and one syntactic argument may bear more than one thematic relation. But clearly thematic relations do have an effect on syntax; in some generative grammars this interface with syntactic structure is handled through theta roles.

See Also

External Links

The link below takes you away from the Gaelic Wiki to Wikipedia. Since wikipedia pages can be edited by anyone, they often contain inaccurate information. So be careful!

References

  • Carnie, Andrew. 2006. Syntax: A Generative introduction. 2nd Edition. Blackwell Publishers. ISBN 1405133848
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