midterm study guide #3 syntax and semantics

structural role

grammatical function (subject, object)

subject

does the action

direct object

receives the action directly

indirect object

benefits from or receives something from action

semantic role

meaning function in an event (agent, theme, etc)

agent

doer or initiater of an action

theme

entity undergoing an action or being moved

patient

entity affected by the action

beneficiary

one who benefits from the action

recipient

one who receives something

core argument

essential to verb meaning

oblique argument

extra information, often into prepositional phrase