Exercise 3

Here is a list of definitions of theta roles. Given the definitions, label the arguments in the sentences below.

Agent: the participant who deliberately initiates the action denoted by the verb (usually animate).

Theme: the participant (animate or inanimate) moved by the action.

Patient: an affected participant (animate or inanimate) undergoing the action (the roles ‘theme’ and ‘patient’ are often collapsed).

Experiencer: the participant (animate or inanimate) that experiences some (psychological, emotional, etc.) state.

Beneficiary/Benefactive: the participant that gains by the action denoted by the verb.

Goal: the participant towards which the activity is directed.

Source: the place from which something is moved as a result of the action.

Location: the place in which the action or state denoted by the verb is situated.

Propositional: clausal arguments have the propositional theta role.

(1)	a	Peter loves Mary.
	b	Peter knows Mary well.
	c	The door opened.
	d	The purse was stolen.
	e	Mary wrote a letter to John the following day.
	f	John received a letter from Mary.
	g	Mary cut the cake with a knife.
	i	There arrived some visitors.
	j	Mary was cooking dinner when they entered.
	k	Peter has broken his leg.
	l	Peter has broken a vase.
	m	It surprised everyone that the visitors arrived.
	n	They wondered what to do.
	o	Mary is beautiful.
	p	John is in Paris.
	q	That the purse was stolen shocked everyone.

Suggested answer