‘SYNTAX’

THEMATIC RELATION
PRESENTED BY: MS MAHWISH
(M.PHILL LINGUISTICS)
ISLAMIA COLLEGE UNIVERSITY PESHAWAR
 EXPLANATION
Thematic relations express the semantic relations that the entities
denoted by the noun phrases bear towards the action or state denoted
by the verb. 
OR
Thematic relation is term used to express the role that a noun phrase
plays with respect to the action or state describe by a sentence verb.
 Major Thematic Relations
Agent Goal Experiencer Instrument

Actor Location
Patient
Beneficiary/Recipient
Theme Source
 Agent: Doer of action, usually a Noun phrase, having following properties
(violation,sentience,causation,movement)

1.Then Sultan started to build the palace in that forest.

the agent is represented by sultan. Since sultan is person who is responsible for
building the palace. If sultan is omitted, the sentence will be ambiguous. The word
build involved to action verb which indicates the existence of an act done by
someone. So that, sultan as the subject is considered as the agent.
2. (…) Prabu Boko and all soldiers went to Pengging Kingdom to revolt.
This role is also described by Prabu Boko and all soldiers which indicates that
they are the doer of the action. The verb which is used in this sentence is action
verb that shows someone’s action. Through the verb, this sentence demands the
doer, so that Prabu Boko and all soldiers regarded as the agent.
 Actor: Do not have violation and
sentience but causation and movement
• The storm destroyed the house.
In this sentence The storm is a natural force which has causation and movement
property and has affected the ‘Noun’ House and the verb destroyed in this
sentence shows the action of destruction.
• The car ran over the cat.
Again in this sentence The Car, which is the subject of sentence, has causation
and movement property and has affected the ‘Noun’ cat by indicating the
action through verb ran.
 Patient: undergoes the action and changes its state

1.He killed her father.

From the above data, it can be represented that the words her father plays the role
of patient since it is the entity that is killed by him. The role patient here is in a
transitive sentence which is marked by the verb killed, so her father is considered as
the direct object that presents the role of patient.
2. Raden Bandung Bondowoso cursed the girls around Prambanan area.
The girls around Prambanan area plays a role as the patient for two reasons.
First, they are the entity which is cursed by Raden Bandung Bondowoso.
Second, it is the direct object which is indicated by the transitive verb cursed.
Theme: undergoes the action but does not
change its state
1.One day, when a gardener was gathering grass for his cattle in the forest,(…)
The role theme is presented by the word grass. It can be identified that grass is
the thing affected by a gardener; it is the thing which is gathered. So that, grass
is regarded as the theme.
2.(…) he was going to drink some water from it,(…)
In this sentence, some water plays the role of theme since it is identified as the
thing affected by the action of the agent; it is the thing which is drunk by him.
So, it is said as the theme.
 Experiencer:
the entity that receives sensory or emotinal
input/A perceiver of an event.
1. Because of this, they were very unhappy.
the word they considered as the experience because they is the people who feels
unhappy. The role experiencer in this sentence is recognized by using stative verb.
2. Mr and Mrs Lin were very sad to hear this.
the role of the experience is presented by the words Mr and Mrs Lin. They are
identified as the entities who are aware of the state, and the existence of stative
verb in this sentence indicates that Mr and Mrs Lin plays a role as the experiencer.
 •
Direction/Goal:
where the action is directed towards,
can be physical and abstract,with ‘To’ PP,
can not be passivized

1.A knight called Beowulf heard about the problem and went to Denmark to help
the king.(PHYSICAL)
The words to Denmark also identified as the goal which is marked by the “to”
preposition and it becomes the destination for Beowulf to help the king.
2. John told joke to his friend.(ABSTRACT)
In this sentence the goal is presented by to his friend . It becomes entity where
the joke has been shared by the subject/agent John.
 Location:
where the action occurs e.g(at/in)
1.A wooden house squatted beside a huge camphor tree.
It can be concluded that beside a huge camphor tree plays the role of location,
since it indicates the place of a wooden house located.
2. But his horse ran away from the tiny hut.
The role of location is presented by the tiny hut. The words describe the place
where the horse ran away.
 Beneficiary/ recipient:
the entity for whose benefit the action occurs
(to/for)

1. He built a house for her.

2.I fight for the king.
3.John gave the book to his friend.
4.He passed the ball to Andrew.
 Source:
where the action originated 
1.Jasmin was hiding from her mother and father.
2. As soon as she had fnished her food she slipped down from her chair
3. She walked away from him.
From the above sentences, it can be identified that her mother and father
plays the role of source,since it comples Jasmin’s to hide.In the second
example, The role of source is presented by the words from her chair. It also
indicates the reason why the agent took the action. Both the sources in the
above examples are marked by the preposition from. So that from her
mother and father and from her chair are considered as the sources in the
term of thematic role.
 Instrument: used to carry out the action 
1.The third son tried to cure his father with medicine which he had bought.
the role instrument is indicated by the word with medicine.
•
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