What is Charles Fillmore's theory of case grammar?

Answer

I think that case for case means one case always is related to another case because semantic values. (I apologise my bad English)

Answer

For details see Charles J. Fillmore, Essentials of English Grammar, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York 1972. (This a great improvement on his article entitled 'The Case for Case', which appeared in 1968.

Case grammar is an attempt to establish a semantic grammar. (Most grammars by linguists take syntax as the starting-point).

Using a modified form of valency theory Fillmore suggests that the verb establishes a set of cases in a sentence: these are like slots, which usually need not all be filled. For example, consider these sentences:

1. Mary opened the door with a key.

2. Mary opened the door.

3. A key opened the door.

4. The door opened.

In (1) the semantic cases are: Mary - agent; the door - object; a key - instrument.

In (2) they are as in (1), except that there is no instrument.

In (3) the cases are: a key - instrument; the door - object.

In (4) the only case is the door - object.

In other words, to open requires at the minimum that the object be specified in a sentence.

Note that the semantic object may appear as the syntactic subject.

Compare with:

(5) These shirts wash easily.

(6) The building collapsed.

(7) The car rolled backwards.

(8) The table moved.

If the semantic object is animate it is generally called the experiencer.

Examples:

(9) Anne tripped and fell over. (Something happened to her).

(10) John fell asleep.

(11) They were robbed.

(12) The old man died.

Consider these two sentences:

(13) They frighten me (They - agent. In other words they actively and deliberately frighten ...)

(14) They frighten me. (They - object. I become frightened when I see them ... Their mere appearance, existence triggers fear in me).

Note that the theory is only an outline.

First answer by Nina Galli. Last edit by Joncey. Contributor trust: 1931 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 32 [recommend question]