Appunti corso English Linguistics and Translation II (più esercizi)

EXPRESSED BY SYNTAX!

i.e. It rains, he met her, I gave my book to Bill, *rains, *he met, *I gave mybook2.

Default arguments (D - arg)

identify a participant in the event that CAN BE OMITTED in the syntactic realization of the verb;

I received a letter from John. "from John"--- is a default argument because it can be omitted.

Shadow arguments (S - arg)

identify a participant in the event that is ALREADY INCORPORATED IN THE SEMANTICS of the verb and, therefore, usually doesn't need be expressed!

I comb my hair (with a comb).--- "with a comb" I would never add because it is "with a comb" incorporated in the semantic of the verb, is a shadow argument.

Shadow arguments are overtly realized only if they convey extra information that is useful to further specify the meaning of the verb.

I sold the book for 25 euros--- si vende per soldi

I kicked the ball with my aching foot--- si calcia con il piede

I combed my hair with Mary's comb--- ci si pettina con il pettine

Examples

great dinner= true argument/ for the guests= shadow argumentThis road goes from

Florence to Milan--- this road= true/from Florence= default/ to Milan=true;I posted a few letters in the letterbox round the corner---- I=true/ a few letters= true/in the letterbox= shadowSusan played an amazing Juliet last year--- susan=true/ an amazing Juliet= true

Exercises

• To meet= transformative/semantic
• To empty a suitcase= transformative/semantic
• To understand= stative/semantic
• To miss (mancare)= stative/semantic
• To miss (the train)= transformative/semantic
• I've studied German for two years= perfective tense
• To watch a movie= resultative/phrasal
• To like someone= stative/semantic
• To fall in love= inchoative/phrasal
• To wink= transformative/semantic
• I'm eating a sandwich= imperfective tense
• To clap= iterative/semantic
• To fly to Milan= resultative/phrasal
• To swim the lake= resultative/phrasal

Lezione 11

Thematic roles

Thematic roles (or q-roles) explain the function any argument has with respect to the verb (Fillmore, 1978). They express the correspondence between the syntactic functions of

1. Agent = the one who begins or does an action (+ animate; + willing);
   <strong>John</strong> killed Mary. --- "John" is the agent.
2. Patient = the person or thing affected by an action (± animate);
   John killed <strong>Mary</strong>. --- "Mary" is the patient.
3. Force = the thing that causes an action (- animate; - willing; + natural);
   The hurricane destroyed <strong>the coast</strong>. --- "the hurricane" is the force and "the coast" is the patient.
4. Experiencer = the person who is inwardly affected by a state or an action (+ animate; - willing);
   <strong>I</strong> fell in love. --- "I" is the experiencer.
5. Theme = the person or thing that undergoes an action without being really affected by it (± animate; - willing);
   I read <strong>the book</strong>. --- "book" is the theme.
   I broke <strong>the book</strong>, "book" in the phrase is not the theme because it is affected by the action.

Factitive = the thing that is brought to life by an action (- animate; - willing);I made a vase.--- "vase" is the factitive.

7. Benefactive = the person that takes advantage from the performing of an action (+ animate; - willing);John received a gift. "John" "gift"--- is the benefactive and is the theme.

8. Instrument = the means by which an event is caused (± animate; - willing);I opened the door with a key.--- "key" "I" "the door" is the instrument, is the agent and is the theme.

9. Source = the person or thing from which the action derives (± animate; ± willing);I got a letter from John.--- "John" is the source.

I got a letter from London.--- "London" is the source.

10. Goal = the place or the person an action is directed to (± animate; - willing);I drove to Bologna.--- "Bologna" is the goal.

11. Location = the place where or the time when the action takes place;I travelled

around Spain. "Spain"--- is the location. 12.Range = the specification or the extent of an action;I drove 50 km.--- "50 km" is the range. 13.Role = the role or part played by someone in an action or state (+ animate; ±willing);John was elected president.--- "president" is the role. Exercises Female birds lay eggs= female birds--- source; eggs--- factitive; I enjoyed the movie a lot= I--- experiencer; the movie--- theme; a lot--- range; What are you staring at?= what-- theme; you--- agent; Susan is driving a Mercedes= susan--- agent; a Mercedes--- theme; I had my hair cut last week= I--- benfactive; my hair--- patient; last week--- location; Columbus sailed from Spain in a caravel= columbus--- agent; from Spain--- source; ina caravel--- instrument; I usually fry in olive oil= I--- agent; in olive oil--- instrument; Simon prepared a great dinner for the guests= simon--- agent; a great dinner---factitive; for the guests --- benefactive; Sheila cut the cloth withocean--- location;I love eating pizza= I--- experiencer; eating pizza--- theme;The cat chased the mouse= the cat--- agent; the mouse--- patient;I need to buy some milk= I--- experiencer; to buy some milk--- theme;She is reading a book= she--- agent; a book--- patient;I am going to the park= I--- agent; to the park--- location;The dog barked loudly= the dog--- agent; loudly--- manner;I am listening to music= I--- experiencer; listening to music--- theme;The sun is shining brightly= the sun--- agent; brightly--- manner;I am wearing a blue shirt= I--- agent; a blue shirt--- patient;The car crashed into a tree= the car--- agent; into a tree--- location;I am cooking dinner= I--- agent; cooking dinner--- theme;The baby is crying= the baby--- agent; crying--- activity;She is playing the piano= she--- agent; playing the piano--- activity;I am studying for an exam= I--- agent; studying for an exam--- theme;The flowers are blooming in the garden= the flowers--- agent; in the garden--- location;I am writing a letter= I--- agent; a letter--- patient;The children are playing in the park= the children--- agent; in the park--- location;I am watching a movie= I--- agent; a movie--- patient;The teacher is explaining the lesson= the teacher--- agent; the lesson--- patient;I am taking a shower= I--- agent; a shower--- patient;The birds are singing in the trees= the birds--- agent; in the trees--- location;I am driving to work= I--- agent; to work--- location;The clock is ticking= the clock--- agent; ticking--- activity;I am drinking a cup of coffee= I--- agent; a cup of coffee--- patient;The rain is falling heavily= the rain--- agent; heavily--- manner;I am playing soccer= I--- agent; playing soccer--- activity;The wind is blowing strongly= the wind--- agent; strongly--- manner;I am eating lunch= I--- agent; eating lunch--- activity;The fire is burning brightly= the fire--- agent; brightly--- manner;I am sleeping= I--- agent; sleeping--- activity;The train is arriving at the station= the train--- agent; at the station--- location;I am running in the park= I--- agent; in the park--- location;The clock is ringing= the clock--- agent; ringing--- activity;I am studying at the library= I--- agent; at the library--- location;The baby is crawling on the floor= the baby--- agent; on the floor--- location;I am painting a picture= I--- agent; a picture--- patient;The dog is wagging its tail= the dog--- agent; its tail--- patient;I am playing the guitar= I--- agent; playing the guitar--- activity;The car is honking its horn= the car--- agent; its horn--- patient;I am washing the dishes= I--- agent; the dishes--- patient;The wind is rustling the leaves= the wind--- agent; the leaves--- patient;I am riding my bike= I--- agent; my bike--- patient;The waves are crashing on the shore= the waves--- agent; on the shore--- location;I am taking a picture= I--- agent; a picture--- patient;The baby is laughing= the baby--- agent; laughing--- activity;I am typing on the computer= I--- agent; on the computer--- location;The phone is ringing= the phone--- agent; ringing--- activity;I am playing chess= I--- agent; playing chess--- activity;The car is skidding on the ice= the car--- agent; on the ice--- location;I am singing a song= I--- agent; a song--- patient;The wind is howling= the wind--- agent; howling--- activity;I am cooking dinner= I--- agent; cooking dinner--- theme;The baby is sleeping= the baby--- agent; sleeping--- activity;I am reading a book= I--- agent; a book--- patient;The dog is barking= the dog--- agent; barking--- activity;I am writing a letter= I--- agent; a letter--- patient;The birds are chirping= the birds--- agent; chirping--- activity;I am watching a movie= I--- agent; a movie--- patient;The teacher is teaching a lesson= the teacher--- agent; a lesson--- patient;I am taking a shower= I--- agent; a shower--- patient;The flowers are blooming= the flowers--- agent; blooming--- activity;I am driving to work= I--- agent; to work--- location;The clock is ticking= the clock--- agent; ticking--- activity;I am drinking a cup of tea= I--- agent; a cup of tea--- patient;The rain is falling= the rain--- agent; falling--- activity;I am playing soccer= I--- agent; playing soccer--- activity;The wind is blowing= the wind--- agent; blowing--- activity;I am eating breakfast= I--- agent; eating breakfast--- activity;The fire is burning= the fire--- agent; burning--- activity;I am sleeping= I--- agent; sleeping--- activity;The train is arriving= the train--- agent; arriving--- activity;I am running= I--- agent; running--- activity;The clock is ringing= the clock--- agent; ringing--- activity;I am studying= I--- agent; studying--- activity;The baby is crawling= the baby--- agent; crawling--- activity;I am painting= I--- agent; painting--- activity;The dog is wagging its tail= the dog--- agent; wagging its tail--- activity;I am playing the guitar= I--- agent; playing the guitar--- activity;The car is honking its horn= the car--- agent; honking its horn--- activity;I am washing the dishes= I--- agent; washing the dishes--- activity;The wind is rustling the leaves= the wind--- agent; rustling the leaves--- activity;I am riding my bike= I--- agent; riding my bike--- activity;The waves are crashing= the waves--- agent; crashing--- activity;I am taking a picture= I--- agent; taking a picture--- activity;The baby is laughing= the baby--- agent; laughing--- activity;I am typing on the computer= I--- agent; typing on the computer--- activity;The phone is ringing= the phone--- agent; ringing--- activity;I am playing chess= I--- agent; playing chess--- activity;The car is skidding= the car--- agent; skidding--- activity;I am singing a song= I--- agent; singing a song--- activity;The wind is howling= the wind--- agent; howling--- activity.save 10000$= transformative/phrasal 10. to spill a glass of water= transformative/semantic 11. to drink a glass of water= resultative/phrasal 12. to pour a glass of water= resultative/phrasal 13. To look for a job= continuative/phrasal 14. to burn a letter= resultative/semantic 15. to play the guitar= continuative/semantic 16. to recall= iterative/semantic

1. own a car = stative/semantic
2. to fall asleep = inchoative/phrasal
3. to be asleep = stative/semantic
4. to lose the keys = transformative/semantic
5. To drive a car = continuative/semantic

Lezione 12

1. To study = continuative/semantic
2. To eat up = resultative/phrasal
3. To dance a tango = resultative/phrasal
4. To play chess = continuative/semantic
5. I've finished reading the book = perfective/tense
6. To drink eagerly = continuative/semantic
7. To write a letter = resultative/phrasal
8. I'm writing a letter = imperfective/tense
9. To fix a cupboard = transformative/semantic
10. To go shopping = continuative/semantic
11. To do a piece of homework = resultative/phrasal
12. To finish a piece of homework = transformative/semantic
13. To cook Chinese food = continuative/semantic

Exercises

Mark has driven to Milan for 300 miles.

Argoment structure = Mark (true), to Milan (default);

Thematic grid = Mark (agent), to Milan (goal), for 300 miles (range);

I swam 40 laps yesterday morning.

Argoment structure = I (true), 40 laps (shadow);

Thematic grid = I (agent)

he red dress.Argoment structure= John (true), the lady (true), with the red dress (shadow);Thematic grid= John (perceiver), the lady (theme), with the red dress (attribute);We went to the park to have a picnic.Argoment structure= We (true), the park (true), to have a picnic (shadow);Thematic grid= We (agent), the park (goal), to have a picnic (purpose);She bought a new car last month.Argoment structure= She (true), a new car (true);Thematic grid= She (agent), a new car (theme), last month (location);I saw a beautiful sunset on the beach.Argoment structure= I (true), a beautiful sunset (true), on the beach (shadow);Thematic grid= I (perceiver), a beautiful sunset (theme), on the beach (location);They built a tall skyscraper in the city center.Argoment structure= They (true), a tall skyscraper (true), in the city center (shadow);Thematic grid= They (agent), a tall skyscraper (theme), in the city center (location);She received a bouquet of flowers for her birthday.Argoment structure= She (true), a bouquet of flowers (true), for her birthday (shadow);Thematic grid= She (recipient), a bouquet of flowers (theme), for her birthday (benefactive);I tasted a delicious cake at the party.Argoment structure= I (true), a delicious cake (true), at the party (shadow);Thematic grid= I (experiencer), a delicious cake (theme), at the party (location);He wore a stylish suit to the wedding.Argoment structure= He (true), a stylish suit (true), to the wedding (shadow);Thematic grid= He (agent), a stylish suit (theme), to the wedding (goal);