Syntax terms

argument

a word or phrase that provides details about the head

complement

in English, an optional component coming after the head

functional

a type of word class whose meaning is more indirect, often grammatical; includes determiners, auxiliaries, conjunctions, and degree words

head

the key word in a phrase, which determines what type of phrase it is and carries the core of its meaning (verb head verb phrase, noun heads noun phrase, etc)

lexical

a type of word class whose meaning is based on something in the real world; includes nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions, and adverbs

modifier

in English, an optional component in some phrases coming between the specifier and the head

non-lexical

a type of word class whose meaning is more indirect, often grammatical; includes determiners, auxiliaries, conjunctions, and degree words

phrase

a group of words with a self-contained meaning, that can be swapped out for similar groups

sentence

an utterance describing an event or state

specifier

in English, an optional component at the start of a phrase that refines the meaning a little

ditransitive

a verb with a direct and an indirect object

intransitive

a verb with no direct or indirect objects

transitive

a verb with a direct object but no indirect object

direct object

abbreviated "O", a noun phrase argument that indicates what the main action of the verb applies to. In transitive verbs, this is the only noun phrase complement. In ditransitive verbs, it is the second noun phrase complement (in English). Intransitive verbs have no direct object.

grammatical role

the structural function that a noun phrase plays relative to the main verb of the sentence

indirect object

abbreviated "IO", a noun phrase argument that generally indicates for whose sake the main action of the verb is applied to the direct object. Only present in ditransitive verbs, where (in English) it is the first of two noun phrase complements.

oblique object

abbreviated "X" or "XO", a noun phrase that provides further information beyond the subject, direct object, and indirect object, such as how, where, or when the action happened. Intransitive, transitive, and ditransitive verbs can all have oblique objects, but the oblique object is almost always optional. In English, this noun phrase is the complement to a preposition phrase, which is a complement to the verb phrase.

subject

abbreviated "S", a noun phrase argument connected to the main node of the sentence tree. All sentences in English (except for imperatives) contain a subject.

agent

semantic role indicating an entity that intentionally initiates the action

beneficiary

semantic role indicating an entity that is benefitted or harmed by the action

experiencer

semantic role indicating a patient for whom the action produces a sensory or emotional experience

goal

semantic role indicating an entity that the action moves toward

instrument

semantic role indicating an entity used to carry out the action

location

semantic role indicating an entity introduced because it is where the action happens

patient

semantic role indicating an entity that is directly affected by the action

recipient

semantic role indicating an entity that receives something by the action

semantic role

the particular semantic relationship between an entity indicated by a noun phrase and the action indicated by the main verb of a sentence

source

semantic role indicating an entity that the action moves away from

theme

semantic role indicating an entity not directly affected by the action, but which the action is "about"