Grammar and Experience

transitivity

Prof. Abdellah Elhaloui

Pages 22-27; 74-77
Transitivity is the way experience is
represented in the clause structure.
• Suzy opened the door with a key.
subjec object.v object.p Grammar
t
agent affected instrument experienc
e
• Suzy opened the door.
subjec object.v Grammar
t affected
agent experienc
e
• The key opened the door.
subject object.p Grammar
instrument affected experienc
e
• The door opened.
subject Grammar
affected experienc
exercise
1. A window broke.
2. Tom broke a window.
3. Tom broke the window with a hammer.
 arguments

predicate

Suzy opened the door with a key

subject object.v object.p functions
agent affected instrument Semantic
roles
• We will consider two types of predicates in
English:
• Those with one argument
• And those with two arguments
 What is the difference between
• In 1-3, 1-3
a predicate
predicates and A-C predicates?
expresses an ACTION.
1. The dog is sleeping. • It describes what the
2. Larry laughed. subject is doing.
3. The earth rotates. • Argument is ACTOR

A. Grandfather died (last

• In A-C, a predicate
expresses an EVENT.
• It implies a change in the
condition of the argument
• Argument is AFFECTED.
week).
B. A volcano erupted.
C. The cake fell.
 Semantic Roles
ACTOR AFFECTED
• The role of an
argument that • The role of an
performs some action argument that
without affecting any undergoes a change
other entity: due to some event or
is affected by some
1. Sylvia left
other entity:
2. Suzy walked (back
A. Tom broke a window
home)
B. Betty like opera
3. The soldiers dove.
C. Opera delights Betty
D. The cake fell.
• For each sentence, decide if it has the semantic
structure Actor+Action or Affected+Event.

1. My head aches.
2. All animals breathe.
3. Denis is (always) complaining.
4. Fanny fainted.
5. The pond froze (last night).
6. The woman frowned.
7. They gossip (a lot).
8. Arnold hurried.
9. The lock has rusted.
10.You were snoring.
 Two-argument predicates

Chris is making an omelets

Argument 1 Argument 2
Agent – Action structures
 Semantic Roles
AGENT
• The role of an argument that by its action
affects some other entity:
• Tom broke a window.
What
expressissome
express theaction
some AGENT
action thatone inAGENT
by
with the following
+ AFFECTED
PLACE
EFFECT
entity
respect which
to a place.
affects
results in an effect. another
examples?
entity.

1. The cat killed a rat.

2. I broke the window.
3. Bert hit Harry.
A. The cat dug a hole.
B. Chris is making an omelet.
C. Picasso created a masterpiece

i. Jennie crossed the street.

ii. Fiona entered the room.
iii. Simon climbed a tree.
 2-argument structures

Argument1 - Predicate - Argument2

The cat killed a rat.

AGENT - ACTION - AFFECTED

The cat dug a hole. EFFECT
Jennie crossed the street. PLACE
Affecting – Affect structures
 Semantic Roles
AFFECTING
• The role of an argument that, without
action, affects some other entity:
1. Betty likes Opera.
2. Opera delights Betty.
 1. The cat killed a rat.
2. I broke the window. AGENT + AFFECTED
3. Bert hit Harry.
A. The cat dug a hole.
AGENT + EFFECT B. Chris is making an omelet.
C. Picasso created a masterpiece

i. Jennie crossed the street.

ii. Fiona entered the room. AGENT + PLACE
iii. Simon climbed a tree.
1. Jenny admired the painting. 12.Stout troops defended the
2. Derek bent the tube. castle.
3. Fabian1.broke a vase. 13.Stout troops destroyed the
AGENT - action - AFFECTED
castle.
4. The children built a sand 14.We quickly dug a ditch.
castle.2. AGENT - action - EFFECT
15.Little Audrey drew a picture of
3. climbed
5. The boys AGENTthe wall. – PLACE
- action two kittens.
6. I closed
4. the door. - ACTION16.(On the way to the post office)
ACTOR
7. The chef cooked a great I dropped the package.
meal. 5. AFFECTING – affect - AFFECTED
17.We enjoyed the concert.
8. Sandra covered the 18. Alan entered the library.
birdcage. 19.Doris hid the money (in the
9. We crossed the street. flowerpot).
10.That medicine cured my 20.Mr Bainbridge (accidentally)
headache. killed a bird.
11.A mad bull damaged the 21.Mother mended the shirt.
fence. 22.The submarine sank a troop
ship.
It was when he was a boy, padding alone through the wind-
whipped strawgrass by the shore, that he saw the heron snared in
wire. The heron would beat its wings, rest, beat its wings; but
make no progress to freeing its legs and body.
His sneakers sucked mud as he entered the shallow break water.
The heron grew frantic, blurred wings and slashing beak; then, as
the boy’s shadow draped the bird, it stopped moving. Resigned,
perhaps, or hoping it was unseen.
The boy gave the bird’s back a pat. Glossy slick feathers; the
heron flinched at his touch. The boy flinched back, afraid of the
razor beak, the trapped claws. He could see how the wire was
wound around the bird, could figure out the puzzle if the bird
stayed still.
A few more pats, and the boy settled. He stroked the bird’s neck
and back. He crouched in the mud to unsnare the heron and soon
experienced something that would stay with him for the many
decades of his life.
Deep-fried heron doesn’t taste as good as one hopes it might.
 X snare
It was when he was a boy, padding alone through theYwind-
in Z
whipped strawgrass by the shore, that he saw the heron snared in
wire. The heron would beat its wings, rest, beat its wings; but
make no progress to freeing its legs and body.
His sneakers sucked mud as he entered the shallow break water.
The heron grew frantic, blurred wings and slashing beak; then, as
the boy’s shadow draped the bird, it stopped moving. Resigned,
perhaps, or hoping it was unseen.
The boy gave the bird’s back a pat. Glossy slick feathers; the
trap Yat his touch. The boy X
heronXflinched wind back,
flinched Y around
afraid of the
razor beak, the trapped claws. He could see howZ the wire was
wound around the bird, could figure out the puzzle if the bird
stayed still.
A few more pats, and the boy settled. He stroked the bird’s neck
and back. He crouched in the mud to unsnare the heron and soon
X deep-fry
experienced Y
something that would stay with him for the many
decades of his life.
Deep-fried heron doesn’t taste as good as one hopes it might.
 X see Y
It was when he was a boy, padding alone through the wind-
whipped strawgrass by the shore, that he saw the heron snared in
wire. The heron would beat its wings, rest, beat its wings; but
make no progress to freeing its legs and body.
X frantic
His sneakers sucked mud as he entered the shallow break water.
The heron grew frantic, blurred wings and slashing beak; then, as
the boy’s shadow
X hope Y draped the bird, it stopped moving. Resigned,
perhaps, or hoping it was unseen.
X afraid
The boy gave the bird’s back a pat. Glossy offeathers;
slick Y the
X see
heron flinched at his Y The boy flinched back, afraid of the
touch.
razor beak, the trapped claws. He could see how the wire was
wound around the bird, could figure out the puzzle if the bird
stayed still.
A few more pats, and
X experience Y the boy settled. He stroked the bird’s neck
and back. He crouched in the mud to unsnare the heron and soon
experienced something that would stay with him for the many
decades of his life. X taste Y X hope Y
Deep-fried heron doesn’t taste as good as one hopes it might.
 First part Second Part

No agent Agent revealed

Passive Affect Active Affect

It was when he was a boy, padding alone through the wind-
whipped strawgrass by the shore, that he saw the heron snared in
wire. The heron would beat its wings, rest, beat its wings; but
make no progress to freeing its legs and body.
His sneakers sucked mud as he entered the shallow break water.
The heron grew frantic, blurred wings and slashing beak; then, as
the boy’s shadow draped the bird, it stopped moving. Resigned,
perhaps, or hoping it was unseen.
The boy gave the bird’s back a pat. Glossy slick feathers; the
heron flinched at his touch. The boy flinched back, afraid of the
razor beak, the trapped claws. He could see how the wire was
wound around the bird, could figure out the puzzle if the bird
stayed still.
A few more pats, and the boy settled. He stroked the bird’s neck
and back. He crouched in the mud to unsnare the heron and soon
experienced something that would stay with him for the many
decades of his life.
Deep-fried heron doesn’t taste as good as one hopes it might.