Theta Roles and the Lexicon Flashcards
Selectional Restrictions
Semantic restrictions on arguments
Thematic Relations
Semantic relations between a predicate and an argument - used as a means of encoding selectional restrictions.
Agent
The doer of an action (under some definitions must be capable of volition).
Experiencer
The argument that perceives or experiences an event or state.
Theme
The element that is perceived, experienced or undergoing the action or change of state
Goal
The end point of movement.
Recipient
A special kind of goal, found with verbs of possession
Source
The starting point of a movement.
Location
The place an action or state occurs.
Instrument
A tool with which an action is performed.
Beneficiary
The entity for whose benefit the action is performed.
Proposition
The thematic relation assigned to clauses.
Theta Role
A bundle of thematic relations associated with a particular argument (DPs or CPs).
Theta Grid
The schematic representation of the argument structure of a predicate, where the theta roles are listed.
External Theta Role
The theta role associated with subject DPs or CPs/
Internal Theta Role
The theta role associated with objects or indirect objects.
The Theta Criterion
a) Each argument is assigned one and only one theta role.
b) Each theta role is assigned to one and only one argument.
Lexical Item
Another way of saying “word.” A lexical item is an entry in the mental dictionary.
The Projection Principle
Lexical information (like theta roles) is syntactically represented at all levels.
Expletive (or Pleonastic) Pronouns
A pronoun (usually it or there) without a theta role. Usually found in subject position
Extended Projection Principle (EPP)
All clauses must have subjects. Lexical information is syntactically represented.
Expletive Insertion
Insert an expletive pronoun into the specifier of TP.
The Lexicon
The mental dicitonary or list of words. Contains all irregular and memorized information about language, including the argument structure (theta grid) of predicates.
The Computational Component
The combinatorial, rule-based, part of the mind. Where the rules and filters are found.