What is locative as a semantic role?

Locative is a semantic role which identifies the location or spatial orientation of a state or action.

A locative semantic role does not imply motion to, from, or across the location.

• The paper is in the folder.
• The ship sank at sea.

• What is a semantic role?

Longacre 1983 161

Context for this page:

• Concept module: locative
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): L
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

© 2004 SIL International