Cau hoi Semantic 3 (tt)

I. Predicate vs Predicator
Predicate (language system) vị ngữ: any word (sequence of words) which (in a given single sense) can function as the predicator of a sentence. Eg: hungry, asleep, hit (but: and, or, but… are not predicates)

Predicator (semantic rule, role): vị tố, vị từ. V (not “be”), adj, prep, noun, not conjunction, articles) belong to any of the RE which of the remainder makes the most specific contribution to the meaning.

Eg: Which of the following sentences is equative
a. Mahmoud is an Egyptian.
b. I was telling you about Mahmoud the Egyptian
c. Mahmoud is the Egyptian I was telling you about
d. Mahmoud is a genius.

Eg: Choose those of the following words which can be referring expressions (in normal everyday English)
John, below, Venus, swims, round, beautiful, under, went.
Eg: indicate the predicators and arguments
1. Dennis is a menace
 predicator: menace
 argument(s) Dennis
2. Harmish showed Morag his hat
 predicator: show
3.  argument(s): Harmish, Morag, his hat
Eg: Which of the following words are predicates?
Henry, square, expensive, and, under, not, love

II. Degree of a predicate is a number indicating the number of arguments it is normally understood to have in simple sentences.
Eg:
1. Tom sneezed.  sneeze is one-place predicate
2. Lan made this toy guillotine  made is two-place predicate.
3. Jack gave me a nice hat.  gave is three-place predicate.
In fact, the major of adjectives are one-place predicate.