CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of Discussion
Semantic is one of the important branches of linguistics, and deals with
interpretation and meaning of the words, sentence structure, and symbols. It
deals with the reading comprehension of the readers, in how they understand
others and their interpretations. In addition, semantics constructs a relation
between adjoining words and clarifies the sense of a sentence, whether the
meanings of words are literal or figurative.

In this discussion, the author discusses about semantic roles which

focuss on the sentence and preposition along with a few definitions and
examples. Semantic roles which divide into zero valence, valence one and
valence two and some changes in valency.

B. Topics of the Discussion

1. Sentence and Proposition
2. Semantic roles
3. Some changes in valency

C. Purpose of the Discussion

The purpose of the discussion is to enrich and expand knowledge
through semantic paper that focusses on semantic role.

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 CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION

A. Sentence and Proposition

A sentence contains clear information, but the same information can be

presented in different sentences and in parts of sentences.Proposition can be
known through a variety of predicates and Noun Phrases.
Through the old way, the definition of a sentence is something that expresses
the complete ideas. But the sentence is easier to understand than the ideas.
Compare the following language expressions:

1a. We walk in the park.

1b. Our walk in the park
1c. For us to walk in the park

We can say sentence 1a It is a complete sentence, beginning with a capital

letter and ending with a period. While 1b and 1c are not complete sentences.
But 1a, 1b, 1c contain the same semantic content, the same relationship to
the deeds performed by two or more persons at the same time. What
distinguishes these three sentences is the sentence / grammatical
arrangement. Sentence 1a makes a statement. While 1b and 1c are part of
the statement. The formal difference between these three expressions is that
We, our, and us, for examples are a matter of grammar, not semantics.

The semantic content given by these three expressions is a

proposition. A proposition can be expressed in different sentences.

2a. Helen put on a sweater.

2b. Helen put a sweater on.

2a and 2b consist of different English sentences, but 2a and 2b deliver the

same message. They express the same proposition.

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3a. Richard wrote a report.
3b. Richard is the one who wrote the report.
3c. The report was written by Richard.
3d. The report is what Richard wrote.

We may say that the four sentences express single / single proposition. But
they are different in Focus. 3b and 3c give affirmation to Richard. 3d confirms
to the report. And 3a does not have a clear focus. In the proposition, there is
no focus; in a sentence may give the focus as in the example above.

4. Richard wrote a report and Helen did, too.

This sentence has two proposotions, (1. Richard wrote a report 2. Helen
wrote a report).
The description of a sentence is a syntactic analysis. The description of a
proposition is a semantic analysis.
There are different ways of analyzing syntactics, but in general the function of
this sentence is known as: subject, predicate, object, complement and
adverbial.
Sample sentences and how to analyze proposition.

The old man drinks a hot coffee.

Example proposition of the above sentence:

1. The man is old
2. The coffee is hot.
3. He drinks it.

So the proposition consists of one verb unit and one or more nominal units.

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B. Semantic roles
Describe the semantic relation between the arguments of the verb and
the situation described by the verb.
Each sentence - every proposition - has one predicate and refers to an
expression, or an argument. the meaning of a predicate is partly determined
by how many arguments it may be have and what role which belongs to the
argument.

For example: A broke window, A rope broke, A plate broke.

They all contain the meaning of the verb and one argument. The word is
synonymous with events and in terms of language may have different verbs to
express it.

A broke window, A rope broke, A plate broke

In the above sentence has the same role, the same relationship with the gap
work This syntax can be called a subject, but a term that is too general for
semantic analysis. We call this role affected. An expression refers to a role
that preaches the exposed action performed by the verb, what changed or
affected by this action.
the term: Tom broke a window, Dick broke a rope, and Harry broke a plate.
This sentence describes the same action for the Window, rope, and a plate
above.
The noun Window, rope, and a plate is the syntactic object of the verb but
inside
their semantic analysis still has an impacted role. Referring
Tom, Dick and Harry's expression has a role as an actor. In any sentence
they are the part played by expressions that tell about who or what instigates
the action of the verb, and cause to influence this action on some other entity,
which is exposed.
Different predicates - verbs, adjectives, prepositions - can be explained
according to the number of actions, or arguments, that can occur with them
and the role these arguments have. the number of arguments and that the

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predicate has been called the predicate valence. The valence theory is a
description of the potential semantic predicate in terms of the number and
types of arguments that can occur with them. Some predicates, have a
valence variable:

for example: in A window broke have valency of one

in Tom broke a window have valency of two

Let us consider the following sentences:

It is snowing, My brother snores, Chris is making an omelette, Agnes is writing

her mother a letter.

Each of the four sentences is longer than the previous one due
has more arguments and also has valence differences. Respectively, zero,
one, two and three valences and each of the predicate groups.

1. Valency Zero

Example : It is snowing

The above sentence has a snow verb, and subject it, but it does not refer to
anything. The sentence has a subject because English requires a subject, but
it does not conform to the underlying proposition. We say snow which is a
zero-argument verb. The other zero-argument sentences are as follows:

5a. It's raining

5b. It sleeted (yesterday)
5c. It has been thundering (in the west)

England needs it with weather verbs such as rain, snow, sleet, thunder, but it
does not refer to anything. The verb is a few examples in languages that do
not require a reference to mention in a sentence. Verbs and aspects should
be shown (rains, random, is snowing, has been snowing) and indications of
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 time and place can be added (yesterday, in the west, etc) but complete
sentences without something being referenced.

2. Valency one

My brother snores.

The intransitive verb is the explanation of a predicate. They have a

subject but do not require a predicate. As in the example above, many verbs
like "snores".

6. The dog is sleeping.

7. Larry laughed.
8. The earth rotates (on its axis).
9 . Grandfather died (last week)
10. A volcano erupted.
11. The cake fell
In Example 16-18, the verbs "sleep", "laugh", "rotate" reveal actions
performed "the dog", "larry", and "the earth". So every explanation is about an
"actor" who carries out an "action".
While in Example 19-21, each actor "grandfather", "volcano", and "the cake"
do something and each verb tells what they are doing, but the verb is not like
a verb in the example no 16-18. But the verb (die, erupt, fall) declares an
event / event.

12. This soup is cold.

13. Terry is impatient.
14. Henrietta waas rather reckless.
15. The bottle is empty.
In Example No. 12-15, no verb expresses a dynamic action / change, the
sentence describes the true state. We may use differences such as cold,
empty, tall, heavy, blond and other adjectives in an objective form, meaning
that people generally agree if they are accurately used at specific times and
places. Impatient, careless, clever, thoughtful, pretty, tiresome and others
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 including subjective judgments, they are used when people agree or not. In a
sentence, themes and identities can be behind to form a sentence that
distinguishes its focus.
Examples :
Eddy Eckstein is the village idiot.
Cora and Willis are the class leaders.

3. Valency two

In this section, a verb requires two things, the subject and the object. They
can not stand on a mere subject without the object. The verb must have a
description between who does and what is action. For example: The word
"make", we can not just say "I made" or "rika make" without any object
subject to action.

There are several kinds in this valency two,

1. Agactaff (Agent-Action-Affected)
Agent here means the offender, then Action is the action and Affected is that
affected by the action (justin influenced). For example "ayu kills ants", here
the ants are influenced by ayu's actions of killing. Ants are still ants just killed.
The point is that his actions are not making anything new.
2. Agacteff (Agent-Action-Effect)
Action here is not just action that only affects, but to create something new
(produce something). For example "Mice excavate a hole ", The act of
digging here instead of affecting the hole, but making something that is a hole.
3. Agectip (Agent-Action-Place)
The effect of the action here is to move around. For example "marquez
crossing the road" marquez moves because of the action that is done through
cross.

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 4. Ting T Ted (Affecting-Affect-Affected)
Affecting is the subject that affects with an action that is affect, then that is
influenced is the object. For example "Udin interferes everyone ", Udin here
affects the object that everyone with his actions interfere.
5. Ted T Ting (Affected-Affect-Affecting)
This is the opposite of number 4, the Subject is affected by the action of the
object. For example "Goat angry with Cempe", Goat here induced by
Cempe's actions.
6. TLA (Theme-Link-Associate)
Theme is the same as the subject and the Associate is the same as the
object, the difference is the Link (the link). The links here have many
meanings, ie connecting things, place connectors, timing links, connecting
social links and connecting sizes or measures.

a. connector of something, for example "Cempe is similar to Wedus", the

similar word here is a link
b. connector of thePlace, for example "Graha Building is the northern part of
IAIN Surakarta", the southern word is a link
c. connector of the time, for example "Semantic Lecture held at 8.40", said
held is a link

C. Some Changes in Valency

The sentence is less more informative when it has fewer arguments,
but its still a legitimate sentence and the meaning of write does not change.

Example : Agnes wrote her mother a letter. (full sentence)

Agnes wrote a letter. Agnes wrote her mother. Agnes wrote.

Some predicates can be used in a sentence that has two arguments and in
another sentence that has only one argument.

Example : Tom broke the window ,The window broke