Instrument As A Semantic Role
Definition:
Instrument is the semantic role of an inanimate thing that an agent uses to implement an event. It is the stimulus or immediate physical cause of an event.
Discussion:
Instrument words are usually nouns occurring in the noun phrase of a clause:
- Someone cut the bread with a knife.
In some languages, the noun occurs in a second clause or serial verb construction:
- Someone took a knife (and) cut the bread.
Examples:
(English)
- The cook cut the cake with a knife.
- She used a crayon to scribble a note.
- That window was broken by a hammer.
Source:
199–203
159–161
This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library. Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003.