Case Grammar

Definition

Case grammar is a theory that describes the syntactic structure of sentences based on the roles that nouns play within a sentence, particularly focusing on the relationship between verbs and their arguments. This approach categorizes nouns by their 'case', which represents their function in relation to the verb, helping to clarify the thematic roles such as agent, patient, and experiencer. The analysis of these roles aids in understanding how meaning is constructed in sentences.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Case grammar emphasizes the connection between verbs and their arguments, analyzing how different cases reflect various thematic roles.
2. The theory was developed by Charles Fillmore, who introduced the concept to better understand the interaction between syntax and semantics.
3. In case grammar, each noun phrase is associated with a specific case role, which determines its function within the overall structure of the sentence.
4. Case grammar helps linguists identify and classify patterns in sentence construction that align with how meaning is conveyed through verbs.
5. By utilizing case grammar, one can analyze sentences across different languages, highlighting similarities and differences in how various cultures express relationships among actions and participants.

Review Questions

• How does case grammar help in understanding the relationship between verbs and their arguments?
  • Case grammar illustrates how verbs dictate the roles of their noun phrases by categorizing them based on their syntactic and semantic functions. By assigning specific cases to each noun, it becomes clear how participants in an action are related to the verb. This approach reveals that different verbs can impose different structures on their arguments, which ultimately affects the meaning conveyed in a sentence.
• Discuss the impact of thematic roles in case grammar and provide examples of how they are represented in sentences.
  • Thematic roles are crucial in case grammar as they describe the functions that participants take concerning the action expressed by the verb. For example, in the sentence 'The dog chased the cat', 'the dog' acts as the agent (performing the action), while 'the cat' serves as the patient (undergoing the action). Understanding these roles allows for clearer parsing of sentence meaning and shows how different structures can alter interpretation.
• Evaluate the significance of case grammar in linguistic theory and its application across languages.
  • Case grammar plays a significant role in linguistic theory by bridging syntax and semantics, offering insights into how meaning is constructed across diverse languages. Its application allows for comparative analysis of sentence structures, revealing universal patterns and unique language-specific features. This evaluation not only enhances our understanding of language but also aids in fields like language learning, translation studies, and cognitive linguistics by highlighting how different cultures encode relationships among participants in communication.

Related terms

Thematic Roles: The semantic roles that participants play in the context of an action or state described by a verb, including roles like agent, patient, and experiencer.

Argument Structure:

The framework that outlines how many and what types of arguments a verb can take, reflecting its relationship with the nouns that accompany it.

Syntactic Case: A grammatical category that marks nouns to indicate their function in a sentence, such as subject or object, often corresponding to the thematic roles defined in case grammar.