>
> On Feb 10, 2009, at 2:51 PM, John F. Sowa wrote:
>
>> Pat,
>>
>> The inner arguments are semantically, not grammatically obligatory.
>>
>> JFS>> For 'give', the number of inner or obligatory participants is
>> 3,
>>>> and there is an open-ended number of optional relationships for the
>>>> time, place, manner, etc.
>>
>> PH> True, but this distinction is purely grammatical. I have to say
>>> "XX gave YY to ZZ", with all three grammatically required phrases
>>> in place (and Im not obliged similarly to say where or when or
>>> how), but Im not obliged to actually provide the information.
>>
>> Those arguments can be omitted if they are implicit in the context:
>>
>> - We are collecting donations for the Red Cross.
>>
>> - I gave at the office.
>>
>> Semantically, 'give' has three participants. One or two may be
>> omitted in a grammatical English sentence if they are obvious
>> from the context. But they exist, whether or not the speaker
>> or listener knows who or what they are.
>
> So do the time and place. Every event occurs somewhere at some time.
> The grammatical rules are pretty much independent of any ontological
> conditions, seems to me. Grammar is a fine topic, but it has to do
> with language, not ontology. But I don't expect you to agree with me
> on this, John :-)
>
> Pat
>
>> (01)
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