SEMANTIC ROLES New

SEMANTIC
ROLES
DEFINITION
Semantic roles are the roles that a noun
phrase play within a sentences.
The noun phrases in the sentence describe

the roles of entities, such as people and
things that involved in the action.
Also known as: Semantic case or thematic

role
OVERVIEW: Note that noun phrase can play
various type of semantic role:
Sentence Grammatical Semantic role

relation
Bobo opened the door Bobo = SUBJECT Bobo = AGENT
with a key.
The key opened the The key = SUBJECT The key =
door. INSTRUMENT
The door opened. The door = The door = PATIENT
SUBJECT
TYPES OF SEMANTIC ROLES
THERE ARE 7 TYPES OF SEMANTIC ROLES
• Agent
• Theme
• Instrument
• Experiencer
• Location
• Source
• Goal
AGENT & THEME AS SEMANTIC ROLES
 Agent as semantic role is the ‘doer’ or the entity
that performs the action.
 Theme as semantic role is the entity that is involved in or
affected by the action. Sometimes theme is called as ‘patient.’
 Although agents are typically human (E.g.: the boy), they
can also be non-human entities that cause actions, as in
noun phrases indicating a natural force ( the wind), a machine
(a car), or a creature (the dog)
 Examples:
1. The boy kicked the ball.
AGENT THEME
The boy (human) The ball (non-human)
2. The wind blew the ball away.

AGENT THEME
The wind (natural force) The ball (non-human)
3. A car ran over the ball.

AGENT THEME
A car (machine) The ball (non-human)
 More examples:
4. The dog caught the ball.
AGENT THEME
The dog (non-human The ball (non-human)
creature)
 Theme is typically non-human, but can be human.

Examples: The dog chased the boy
AGENT THEME
The dog (non-human The boy (human)
creature)
 The same physical entity also can appear in two different
semantic roles in a sentence.
Examples: The boy cut himself.
AGENT THEME
The boy (human) Himself (human which is the boy)
INSTRUMENT AS SEMANTIC ROLE
 Instrument as semantic role is an entity that the agent use

to perform certain action.
 Typically, instrument is a non-human and inanimate
entity such as tools.
 Examples:
The boy cut the rope with an old razor

AGENT THEME INSTRUMENT
The boy The rope An old razor
EXPERIENCER AS SEMANTIC ROLE
 Experiencer is the semantic role of an entity which receives
experiences, or undergoes the effect of an action.
 Normally an experiencer is an entity that receives a sensory

impression (see, touch, hear, feel. smell)
 If we see, know or enjoy something, we’re not really performing

an action (hence we are not agents). In fact, we are in the role of
experiencer
 Examples
1. The boy feels sad
* The experiencer (the boy) is the only semantic role
in this sentence.
2. Did you hear that noise?

EXPERIENCER THEME
You That noise
GOAL AS A SEMANTIC ROLE
 Goal is the semantic role of where the entity in the description of
an event move to.
 The goal can be place, human or non-human.
 Example: She handed the magazine back to George.

AGENT THEME GOAL
She The magazine George
 The keyword for semantic role of goal is the preposition ‘to’.

LOCATION AS A SEMANTIC ROLE
 Location is the semantic role of where the entity in the
description of an event is.
 Example: Mary saw a fly on the wall.

EXPERIENCER THEME LOCATION
Mary A fly The wall
 The keyword for semantic role of location are prepositions ‘on’,

‘in’ and ‘at’
SOURCE AS A SEMANTIC ROLE
 Source is the semantic role of where the entity in the description
of an event is moved from.
 The source can be a place, human or non-human.
 Example: She borrowed a magazine from George.

AGENT THEME SOURCE
She A magazine George
 The keyword for semantic role of source is the preposition ‘from.’

RECAP: 7 TYPES OF SEMANTIC ROLES
Agent
Theme
Instrument
Experiencer
Location
Source
Goal
EXERCISE TIME!
Identify the semantic role in each sentences
Bobo eats an ice cream.
Bubu walks from the shop to his
house.
Beebee watches the news through the
television.
Bebe takes a potato from the shelf
using a basket.

SEMANTIC ROLES New

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SEMANTIC ROLES New

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

SEMANTIC ROLES New

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SEMANTIC

The noun phrases in the sentence describe

Also known as: Semantic case or thematic

Sentence Grammatical Semantic role

2. The wind blew the ball away.

3. A car ran over the ball.

 Theme is typically non-human, but can be human.

 Instrument as semantic role is an entity that the agent use

The boy cut the rope with an old razor

 Normally an experiencer is an entity that receives a sensory

 If we see, know or enjoy something, we’re not really performing

2. Did you hear that noise?

 The goal can be place, human or non-human.

 Example: She handed the magazine back to George.

 The keyword for semantic role of goal is the preposition ‘to’.

 Example: Mary saw a fly on the wall.

 The keyword for semantic role of location are prepositions ‘on’,

 The source can be a place, human or non-human.

 Example: She borrowed a magazine from George.

 The keyword for semantic role of source is the preposition ‘from.’

You might also like