1. SEMANTIC ROLES
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2. Semantic Roles
Analyzing simple declarative sentence, there are two major semantic roles;
The role of Predicator (played by predicates)
The role of argument (played by referring expression)
Example:
Achmad speaks English.
Achmad and English are the arguments
Speaks is the predicator

3. Definition
The predicator is the word (or a group of words) which does not belong to any of the referring meaning of the sentence.
A predicate is any word which can function as the predicator of a sentence.
Example;
Marcus Brutus killed Julius Caesar.
Marcus Brutus and Julius Caesar are the referring expressions, the roles are as the argument
Killed is the predicate, the role is as the predicator

4. The verb exist can be a predicator, but in English the verb “be” in its various forms is not a predicator
The predicators in sentences can be of various parts of speech (adjectives, verbs, and nouns).
Example;
Margaret was unhappy.
The role of Margaret is as the argument
The role of Unhappy is as the predicator
The role of was is non predicator

5. The Degree of predicate
There are different degree of predicate:
Examples:
1. They scream loudly
Scream is a predicate of degree one (one place predicate)
2. We watch TV together.
Watch is a predicate of degree two ( a two place predicate)
3. John gives Mary a bouquet of roses.
Give is a third place predicate

6. Sometimes two predicates can have nearly, if not exactly, the same sense but be of different grammatical part of speech
Example:
Jack is foolish, Jack is a fool
Foolish and fool are predicate
Foolish is an adjective
Fool is a noun
Both have different part of speech

7. Exercises 1. Determine the semantic role:
A. The child is afraid of cats.
B. The lamp is over the table.
C. The new campus is outside the city.
2. Determine the degree of predicate:
A. The students build the green house.
B. The supermarket is between the park and the gas station.
C. Mrs. Azizah is a sister of the mayor.

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