tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu May 27 06:11:05 2004
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Re: core semantic case roles: agent, patient, focus
- From: [email protected]
- Subject: Re: core semantic case roles: agent, patient, focus
- Date: Thu, 27 May 2004 09:10:22 EDT
In a message dated 2004-05-26 11:58:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:
> Who gets to decide whether a verb like {legh} or {Qong} has an
> "agent" subject or a "patient" one?
>
It's determined by the meaning of the verb. The subject of {legh} is an
agent-patient: agent because the subject brings about the action, and patient
because the subject experiences the action of the verb. {Qong}'s subject is a
patient, because it experiences the effect of the verb. {Qong}, and verbs of
state/quality in general, do not have agents for subjects.
Another intransitive verb mentioned recently was {qet} ('run'). This is an
action verb, and the subject is a agent-patient. It takes no object.
lay'tel SIvten
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