Process types

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Process types

• Lengua Inglesa II
• Tom Morton

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The semantic representation of clauses.

• A clause represents a pattern of experience,
  conceptualised
• as a semantic configuration. A semantic
  configuration consists
• of
• processes, participants and circumstances.

The dog bit the postman yesterday
participant process participant circumstance
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Process types (overview)

• material processes of doing (kick, run, paint,
  construct, dig, write, repair, send, give)
• mental processes of experiencing or sensing
  (see, hear, know, feel, believe, think, like)
• relational processes of being or becoming in
  which a participant is characterised, or
  identified, or situated circumstantially (be,
  seem, stand, lie, become, turn, get)
• verbal (say, tell),
• existential (there is a problem),
• behavioural (laugh, cry).

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Process Type Sub-category Example
Material Event (happening) The sugar dissolved. The lion sprang.
Action (doing) She stirred the coffee. The lion caught the tourist.
Mental Perception She saw the car.
Cognition She forgot his name. Tim realised that he was in a big city.
Affection She liked his music.
Relational Attributive Maggie was strong Peter has a piano.
Identifying Maggie was our leader. The piano is Peters.
Behavioural She laughed
Verbal She said what she wanted. Mike told us his plan.
Existential There was once a beautiful princess.
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Material Processes

• Actor the Actor of a process can be either
• the Agent of the process (must be an animate
  entity capable of conscious action)

The Prime Minister resigned
Actor agent Process material
Lightning struck the oak tree
Actor force Process material Goal

• Inanimate Agent or
• Force (where the Actor
• is not animate)

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The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the
window-panes,    The yellow smoke that rubs its
muzzle on the window-panes Licked its tongue into
the corners of the evening, Lingered upon the
pools that stand in drains, Let fall upon its
back the soot that falls from chimneys, Slipped
by the terrace, made a sudden leap,   And seeing
that it was a soft October night, Curled once
about the house, and fell asleep. From The
Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot
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Goal The goal can be either

• Affected (if the Goal exists before the process
  but is affected by it)

The avalanche buried the climbers
Actor force Process material Goal affected
Effected (if the Goal is created by the process)
Mary made an omelette
Actor agent Process material Goal effected
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Recipient and Beneficiary

• Recipient participant to whom the action is
  directed and who
• receives the goods

I gave the kids some money
Actor agent Process material Recipient Goal affected
Beneficiary participant for whom some service is
done Ill make you an omelette.
I will make you an omelette
Actor agent Process material Beneficiary Goal effected
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Range

• Ranges are participants specifying the scope of
  the action
• She sang a new song.
• They played some games.
• He ran a good race.

Ranges are often associated with what are
sometimes called delexical verbs. In he dined at
eight dined is lexical. English also allows
you to say He had dinner at eight, where
dinner is a range and had is delexical. More
examples Have an argument, a chat, a drink, a
quarrel Make a comment, a suggestion, a mistake,
a payment Take a shower, a walk, a photo, nap,
leap Give a presentation, a kiss, a push, a shove
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• Actor and Goal with Ergative verbs the Subject
  of an
• intransitive clause with an ergative should be
  seen as the Goal,
• not the Actor

The glass broke
Goal affected Process material
Actor and Goal in passive sentences in a passive
sentence, what was Object in the active sentence
becomes the Subject, and keeps the same semantic
role
You will be made an omelette
Beneficiary Process material Goal effected
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Exercise Participants with material processes

• Identify the participant roles in the following
  sentences
• She built the house for the kids.
• The house was built for the kids.
• Bill climbed the mountain.
• Paul dug a hole.
• I was attacked by three thugs.
• The piano has been polished by the maid.
• The children were sent presents by their
  grandparents.
• Three thugs attacked me on the street.
• They made a fatal mistake.
• Most people can sing one or two Beatles songs.

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Mental Processes

• Senser the one who sees, feels, likes, etc.
• Phenomenon the participant which is perceived,
  known, liked, etc.

The rider heard a noise
Senser Process mental Phenomenon
I thought that she was coming
Senser Process mental Phenomenon
That you like ice-cream pleases me
Phenomenon Process mental Senser
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Clause rewriting exercise

• Rewrite each of the clauses so that the senser
  coincides with the
• subject, e.g.
• The results delighted us.
• We were delighted with the results.
• Neither of the proposals pleased the members of
  the commission.
• His presence of mind amazed us.
• The dramatic increase of crime in the cities is
  alarming the government.
• The fact that she seems unable to lose weight
  worries her.
• Will the fact that you forgot to phone annoy your
  wife?

Downing Locke, 2006 170
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Answers

• The members of the commission were not pleased
  by/with either of the proposals.
• We were amazed at/by his presence of mind.
• The government is alarmed at/by the dramatic
  increase of crime in the cities.
• She is worried by the fact that she seems unable
  to lose weight.
• Will your wife be annoyed by the fact that you
  forgot to phone?

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Verbal Processes

• Sayer the one who speaks the message.
• Verbiage what is said.
• Addressee (if present) the one who is spoken
  to.

John said something
Sayer Process verbal Verbiage
John told me to go
Sayer Process verbal Addressee Verbiage
Get out of here! she screamed
Verbiage Sayer Process verbal
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Relational Processes

• These processes are mostly those with be and
  have as the main verb (also
• seem, appear, and also words of sensing when
  the Complement is an
• adjectival phrase (I felt sad). These verbs do
  not in general passivise. We will
• identify 2 main types here

John is very sick.
Carrier Processrelational Attribute
John is the president
Carrier Processrelational Attribute/identifying
That book is mine
Possessed/Carrier Process relational Possessor/Attribute
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Existential Processes

• These are processes of existing or happening. The
  only participant is the
• Existent. Existential processes dont just state
  that something exists, but
• expand it in some way, often by adding
  quantitative information or the location
• of the Existent

There are some people in the park
Processexistential Existent Circumstance locative
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Example Process Participant(s) Attribute Circumstance
We carried our luggage The spectators cheered enthusiastically. The gardener dug a hole in the garden. She gave me a bracelet for my daughter. A stone broke the window. The water boiled. The window broke. The dog died. I can smell the gas. material material material material material material material material (happening) mental (perception) agent affected agent agent effected agent rec affected ben force affected affected affected affected senser phenomenon manner locative
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Example Process Participant Attribute Circumstance
He slipped on the ice. I cant understand their objections. We believe that he is right. Phil knows the answer. Tom is mean That car is mine. He remained the leader. The water feels cold I didnt say that material (involuntary) mental (cognition) mental mental relational (att) relational (poss) relational (att) relational (att) verbal affected senser phenomenon senser phenomenon senser phenomenon carrier possessed carrier carrier sayer verbiage characterising possessor current locative
Adapted from From Downing Locke, 2006 166