ATLAS OF LANGUAGE

AT-NAV-G04-019 · ATLAS 259

Object (grammar)

Object here denotes a grammatical relation or function within a construction.

Part of the subject path Syntax and Grammar

Why is this entry in the Atlas?

G · Foundational concept R2 · Necessary foundation

Object is needed to distinguish grammatical functions from semantic participant roles. Its grammatical sense must be labelled and diagnosed through the criteria of the particular language.

Colours and admission grounds

The rectangular label identifies the entry function: F – linguistic figure or procedure; A – analytical concept; G – foundational concept; E – selected concrete case. The rounded badge indicates the admission ground: R1 – distinctive contribution; R2 – necessary foundation; R3 – justified illustrative case. This editorial rationale explains the current selection rather than claiming an undocumented original selection history.

Explanation

Object here denotes a grammatical relation or function within a construction. It need not be a physical thing or the participant affected by an action. Object diagnostics depend on language and analysis: case, position, agreement and behaviour in alternations may supply different evidence. The applicative context is revealing because an additional semantic role may acquire more central grammatical status. A beneficiary or location is not an object merely because of its meaning. Analysis must establish the construction-specific properties that the expression actually receives.

Movement of thought

1. Identify the predicate and its dependents. 2. Describe semantic roles separately. 3. Select grammatical diagnostics. 4. Test the expression across constructions. 5. Justify object status for the language.

Scientific use case

An applicative study can compare case, verbal marking and passivisation without generalising one German diagnostic.

Example

In German “Mira sieht den Turm”, den Turm is an accusative object although seeing does not change the tower.

Counterexample

A participant affected by an action can be the subject of a passive clause. Affectedness therefore does not determine object status.

Distinction

Distinguish grammatical object from referent, physical thing, patient and accusative form alone.

Effect on thought and perception

The concept separates grammatical organisation from the kinds of entities involved.

Resonance

A role in a clause is not already a property of the world.

Provenance

Parallel corpus 98f0950771ae4662f291d2f15f5c51b6797f3c20ba458a68615cdb177002ea18; case-bounded source review accepted; human specialist review not claimed.

Cite this entry

Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Object (grammar)“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-NAV-G04-019. ATLAS 259, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-NAV-G04-019

https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-NAV-G04-019

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