Agent

Definition

In linguistics, an agent is typically defined as the entity that performs an action or causes an event in a sentence. Agents are crucial in understanding semantic relations and thematic roles, as they help identify who is responsible for the action occurring within a given context. This role is not just limited to animate beings but can also include inanimate subjects depending on the structure of the sentence.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Agents are often expressed by noun phrases or pronouns in sentences and can be identified through their semantic roles.
2. The role of an agent can vary based on the verb used; some verbs inherently suggest an agent (e.g., 'to break'), while others may not (e.g., 'to fall').
3. In passive voice constructions, the agent may become less prominent or even omitted, leading to a focus on the action rather than who performed it.
4. The concept of agents extends beyond humans to include animals and even abstract entities, depending on the linguistic context.
5. In some languages, marking agents involves specific morphological changes or syntactic structures that differ from those for patients or other roles.

Review Questions

• How do agents interact with other thematic roles in sentence structure?
  • Agents interact with other thematic roles by defining who is responsible for an action while other roles indicate what is affected. For example, in the sentence 'The cat chased the mouse,' 'the cat' serves as the agent performing the action, while 'the mouse' acts as the patient receiving it. Understanding these interactions helps clarify sentence meaning and structure.
• Discuss how the concept of an agent can change when a sentence is transformed from active to passive voice.
  • When a sentence shifts from active to passive voice, the agent often becomes less visible or entirely omitted. For instance, 'The chef cooked the meal' becomes 'The meal was cooked (by the chef).' This transformation changes the focus from who performed the action to what was acted upon, showcasing how syntactic structure can affect our understanding of agents and their roles in communication.
• Evaluate the implications of considering non-human entities as agents within semantic relations.
  • Considering non-human entities as agents broadens our understanding of language and cognition by recognizing that agency isn't limited to sentient beings. In sentences like 'The storm destroyed the village,' the storm functions as an agent even though it's not animate. This perspective highlights how language captures relationships and events involving both living and non-living elements, enriching our comprehension of narrative and causality in various contexts.

Related terms

patient: The patient is the entity that undergoes the action or is affected by it in a sentence, often contrasted with the agent.

thematic role: Thematic roles are the labels assigned to entities based on their function in an event, such as agent, patient, experiencer, and others.

transitivity: Transitivity refers to the grammatical property that describes how many objects a verb can take, influencing the role of the agent in sentences.