FACULTAD DE FILOSOFIA Y LETRAS - UNT

DEPARTAMENTO DE INGLES
INTRODUCCIÓN A LA LINGÜÍSTICA - 2021

Unit 8: Syntax: Semantic Roles - Practice

A) Indicate the Semantic Roles of the S, O, and C in the following sentences according to
Quirk’s classification.

1. The alpinist reached the summit.

agentive S. locative D.O.

2. The rescue team used a rope to save the drowning dog.

agentive S. instrument D.O.

3. The Dean appointed Maria head of the department.

agentive S. affected D.O. identification attribute (Obj.C.)

4. Hurricane Matthew hammered the Bahamas Oct. 5-6.

external causer affected D.O.

5. A swing lock will secure your apartment door.

intrument S. affected D.O.

6. Napoleon died on May 5, 1821, at the age of 51. swing lock

affected S.

7. I loved English Literature when I was a student.

experiencer S. stimulus D.O.

8. It isn’t 8.30 yet.

Prop-it S. (time)

9. The embassy will send you your documents to your private address.
agentive S. recipient I.O. affected D.O.

10. Peter’s aunt is the school principal.

identified S. identification attribute

11. A police detective paid us a visit.

agentive S. affected I.O. eventive D.O.

12. The members of the committee had dinner after the meeting.
agentive S. eventive D.O.

13. Queen Elizabeth II technically owns all of the unclaimed swans in open water in England and
Wales. recipient S. affected D.O.

14. Passengers should carry proof of vaccination.

positioner S. affected D.O.
15. Their claims were outrageous.
characterized S. characterization attribute

16. Tomorrow is Halloween.

temporal S. identification attribute

17. She sat by herself throughout the evening.

positioner S.

18. Michelangelo sculpted ‘David’ between 1501 and 1504.

agentive S. resultant D.O.

19. He dreamed the same disturbing dream every night.

agentive S. cognate D.O.

B) Indicate the Semantic Roles of the participants in the following sentences according to
Halliday’s and Quirk’s classifications where possible.

1. “There is always some madness in love.” (Friedrich Nietzsche)

H: gramm.S. existential pr. circumstance (time) existent
Q: -------

2. The little girl gave the stray dog all her biscuits.
H: actor material pr. goal goal
Q: agentive recipient I.O. affected D.O

3. It’s dry and windy outside.

H: ----------
Q: prop-it (atmospheric condition)

4. "The outside is a real production," Jesuit priest Kevin Gillespie told NPR news.
H: verbiage sayer verbal pr. target
Q: -------

5. Much of extant medieval poetry is religious.

H: carrier relational pr. attribute
Q: characterized S. characterization attribute

6. Trump’s secretary coughed in the middle of an interview.

H: behaver behabioural pr.
Q: affected S.

7. She finally understood what the problem was.

H: sensor mental pr. phenomenon
Q: experiencer stimulus

C) Write sentences to illustrate the following thematic roles

-- your own answers ---
1. external causer – affected object example: The wind blew down a tree.
2. behaver – behavioural process example: The dog sneezed.
3. Prop-It (distance) example: It’s 2 kms. to the next town
4. agent – affected IO – eventive DO example: The boy gave his friend a nudge.
5. carrier – relational process – attribute example: The doctor looked exhausted.