Case Grammar Theory Theoretical Framework
Process O
die E, O
enjoy B, O
acquire O, L
move Action
A,O kill
A, E, O say
A, B, O give
A, O, L put
Note : A= Agent Case O=object case
E= Experiencer-case Os=object stative-case
B=Benefactive case L=locative case
In the vertical dimensions, verbs are classified as State, Process, or Actions verbs. State verb expresses a notionally stative situation, process verb
expresses a dynamic non agentive event, and action verb expresses a dynamic agentive event.
Verbs are next classified within a specific semantic domanin, i.e. Basic, Experiential, Benefactive, and Locative verbs. Basic verb uses only the Agent and
Object Case. Experiential verb deals with the inner life of man and includes the experiential cases. Benefactive verb deals with the possession and transfer of
property and includes the benefactive case. Locative verb deals with the locative and direction, and includes the locative case Cook, 1979 : 203.
There are five propositional cases that are used in the model. They are Agent-case, Experiencer-case, Benefactive-case, Object-case, and Locative-case.
These five cases have proven to be sufficient for the classification of the verb in literary texts. The Case Grammar Matrix model has been used for the verbs
classification encountered in Ernest Hemingway
The Old Man and Sea and assembles the verbs a Case Grammar dictionary Cook 1979: 128.
According to Cook 1979: 203, a case system is not just a list of case. It is a paradigmatic set of opposition between contrasting semantic roles. Case frame,
on the other hand is the syntagmatic arrangement in which case roles occur. The value of case system depends in large part upon the case tactic used to arrange
case roles into case frame. Cook 1979: 83 states that in case grammar analysis, the analysis must
begin with the surface structure of the language. However, if he wishes to perform a semantic analysis, then he must use only the surface structure of the language,
but also his own intuitive judgment to lead him to the deep structure of the language. From surface structure analysis, he can discover the overt case-role, but
his own intuitive judgment must lead him to the discovery of covert case-role. An overt case-role is a role, which presents both in surface structure and in
deep structure. A covert case-role is the role which is absent from surface structure but present in the deep structure Cook, 1979: 83.