What is source as a semantic role?

Source is the semantic role of the following referents:

• The place of origin (with verbs of motion, locomotion, and propulsion)
• The entity from which a physical sensation emanates (with verbs of sensation, attention, and speech)
• The original owner in a transfer (with verbs of acquisition, transfer, and grab)

• As the place of origin:

  • John fell off the chair.(with a motion verb)

  • The baby crawled from the kitchen to the door. (with a locomotion verb)

  • John threw the knife into the box. (with a propulsion verb)

    Note:

    With propulsion verbs, the source is coreferential with the agent.

• As the entity from which a physical sensation emanates:

  • John smelled the odor of onions. (with a sensation verb)

  • The people watched the performance of the dancers. (with an attention verb)

  • The mother told her child a story. (with a speech verb)

    Note:

    With speech verbs, the source is coreferential with the agent.

• As the original owner in a transfer:

  • John obtained an application form from the office. (with an acquisition verb)

  • John bought the book from Tom. (with a transfer verb)

  • John grabbed the book from Tom. (with a grab verb)

• What is a semantic role?

Longacre 1983 161–163

Context for this page:

• Concept module: source
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): S
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

© 2004 SIL International