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The frequency of the meanings of the word take based on the category was counted using the formula in Figure 3.2. The results of the counting is depicted in
Table 4.4. The categorization of the meanings of the word take in the novel gives a
way to see the relation between the meanings. The relation is not merely between the members of one category, but also between some categories. Some relations
can be drawn clearly and some others are difficult to draw. Series A, Series B, and Series C have the relation of process of grasping
and holding. Series B, Series E, and Series F have the relation of possessing something. Series H and Series I have the relation of moving from one place to
another place. However, it is not easy to draw the other relations between categories as in Series D, Series G, Series J, Series K, and Series L. The
application of semantic roles is required to overcome this difficulty.
2. The Application of Semantic Roles to the Meanings of the Word Take
A sentence, in the study of meaning, consists of a predicate and arguments. The predicate is usually a verb, while arguments are other expressions which are
linked to each other by the predicate. Applying semantic roles is one way to figure out the relation between the components in a sentence. Norvig and Lakoff 1987
divides the arguments into seven roles. They are agent A, source S, recipient R, patient P, instrument I, origin O, and destination D. The complete
explanation of each role can be seen in Figure 2.4. The set of semantic roles from Norvig and Lakoff is given coding name SR I. Kreidler 1998 divides the
arguments into eight roles. They are actor, affected, affecting, agent, associate,
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effect , place, and theme. The complete explanation of each role can be seen in
Table 2.2. The set of semantic roles from Keidler is given coding name SR II. The researcher applied both SR I and SR II to the meanings in the series categories.
The relation between the meanings was drawn afterward.
Figure 4.1 The Sets of Semantic Roles
Both sets of semantic roles were applied to the categories of meanings. SR
I was applied to Series A until Series J because those series had the notions of movement, possession, and process of doing something. SR I provides the roles
that are suitable for the arguments with those notions. In SR I application, there are also conditions and consequences that may occur in the arguments in order to
make the meaning of the sentence possible to happen. Series K and Series L show
the notions of cause and effect. SR II has set of roles which is suitable to describe
the arguments with the notions of cause and effect. The applications of semantic roles to each category of meanings are presented in the explanation as follows:
SR I A
: Agent
S : Source
R : Recipient
P : Patient
I : Instrument
O : Origin
D : Destination
SR II actor
affected affecting
agent associate
effect place
theme
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Series A: To grasp and hold SR I A
GRASPS AND HOLDS P WITH I
Example: He took the Sun. The word take in Series A has a meanings as
‘to grasp and hold’. The process is done by the agent who grasps and holds the patient things with hands
as the instrument. In this meaning, the agent is restricted as a living being. Series B: To
grab someone’s possession SR I
A GRABS AND HOLDS P FROM S
CONDITION: P BELONGS TO S
Example: They took the king’s sword.
The meaning of the word take in Series B has the same process as in Series A,
‘to grasp and hold’, but there is a condition that the patient belongs to the source. The agent grabs and holds the patient things from the source. It
indicates that there is a process of changing possession. Previously, the patient belongs to the source and then it becomes the possession of the agent.
Series C: To obtain SR I A
GRASPS AND HOLDS P FROM O CONSEQUENCE: A OBTAINS P; P BECOMES THE POSSESSION OF A
Example: He and Eustace took curved Calormene swords.
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Similar to the meaning in Series B, the meaning of the word take in Series C has the same process with the meaning in Series A,
‘to grasp and hold’. However, the patient does not belong to anybody as in Series B. The agent grasps
the patient from its original place and the patient becomes the possession of the agent, which denotes the process of obtaining.
Series D: To receive SR I A
RECEIVE P FROM S CONDITION: P BELONGS TO S
Example: Take my advice. Series D shows the process of changing possession as in Series B, but the
possession is given by the source. Thus, the agent receives the patient from the source. In other word, the patient is given by the source to the agent which
denotes the changing of possession.
Series E: To capture SR I A
SEIZE P CONDITION: P IS A LIVING BEING
CONSEQUENCE: P BELONGS TO A
Example: Take all of them alive. The meaning of the word take in Series E has the notion of possession
similar to the meaning in Series B. However, in the process of getting the possession, the agent does a certain action. In this case, the agent seizes the patient
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in order to possess the patient. There is one condition in this series that the patient is restricted as a living being.
Series F: To occupy SR I A
MOVES FROM O TO OCCUPY D CONSEQUENCE: D BELONGS TO A
Example: He took his stand beside the door.
Series F applies the same thing as in Series E that the process of possessing something can be done by a certain effort. In Series F, the thing to
possess is a place or position. The agent moves from the original place to the destination place in order to occupy the destination place. The place or position
becomes the possession of the agent as long as the agent occupy it.
Series G: To remove SR I A
GRASPS P FROM O TO D CONSEQUENCE: P MOVES FROM O TO D
Example: He took out a golden key.
In Series G, the meaning of the word take has the same process as in Series A, to grasp something. However, the process of grasping in this series is
not followed by the process of holding but the process of moving. There is a notion of movement which is done by the agent that causes the patient to move
from its original place to the destination place.
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Series H: To leadcarry SR I A
MOVES P FROM O TO D BY I CONDITION: P AND I ARE LIVING BEINGS
CONSEQUENCE: P MOVES FROM O TO D
Example: Take him away. There is also a notion of movement in Series H. The agent moves the
patient from the original place to the destination place by instructing the instrument. In this case, there is a condition that the patient and the instrument are
living beings. By the order of the agent, the instrument moves the patient. The destination place in this series is assumed to be predictable because the agent
seems to know where the patient should be moved. Series I: To go SR I
A MOVES FROM O TO D BY DOING P
CONDITION: P = I Example: It was taking the bend far too fast.
Different from Series H, in Series I, which also has the notion of movement, the agent is the one who does the movement. The agent moves from
the original place to the destination by doing the patient with the condition that the patient functions as the instrument. However, the destination in this series is
unpredictable because it is possible that the agent has not known yet where to go; or the movement happens quickly that the agent does not have time to think about
the destination.
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Series J: To require SR I A
NEED P CONSEQUENCE: P BELONGS TO A
Example: It took them over two hours. The meaning of the word take in Series J also has the notion of possession
which is given as in Series D. However, in Series J there is no a definite source who is giving the patient. The patient is something that always exists in nature. In
this case, the patient is time. In doing something, the agent spends the patient. It denotes that the agent requires to possess the patient. The agent needs time to
spend in a certain event. Series K: To cause SR II
The predicate in this Series expresses a process of affecting. The preceding argument is the affecting role that affects the succeeding argument names
affected
. Argument Predicate Argument
affecting affect affected They take Archenland
defeat
The meaning in Series K has the same notion of obtaining as in Series C. The process of obtaining is expressed by an affecting process among the
arguments. The argument that precedes the predicate is the affecting argument which causes the succeeding argument to obtain a consequence.
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Series L: To consider SR II The predicate in this Series expresses an affecting process. The preceding
argument is the affected role that is affected by the process in the mind which triggers by succeeding argument names affecting.
Argument Predicate Argument affected process in the mind affecting
They take us in us deceive
The meaning in Series L is similar to the meaning in Series K in terms of obtaining an effect from the affecting process. In this series, the argument that
precedes the predicate is affected or obtaining a consequence from the process in the mind which is done by the predicate. The argument that succeeds the predicate
may trigger the predicate to affect the preceding argument. Based on the semantic roles application to the meaning categories, the
relation between the meanings of the word take in the novel could be drawn. Series A is considered as the central meaning. Literally, the word take conveys the
meaning of grasping and holding something. The meaning in Series B was derived from the meaning in Series A with additional feature of possession. The
meanings in Series E and Series F continued the derivation of Series B from Series A where the process of possessing occurred by certain actions of gaining.
The meanings in Series D and Series J also continued the derivation of Series B from Series A where the possession was given. The meanings in Series G, Series
H, and Series I were derived from the meaning in Series A with an additional feature of movements. The movements could be from one position to another
position as in Series G and also from one place to another place as in Series H a
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short distance and Series I a long distance. The meanings in Series C was derived from the meaning in Series A with an additional feature of obtaining
something. The meaning in Series L was derived from Series C where the subject in the sentence obtained something to consider in the mind. The meaning in Series
K continued the derivation of Series L from Series C where the object of the sentence obtained effects caused by the subject of the sentence. Figure 4.1 shows
the relatedness of the meanings of the word take resulted from semantic roles application.
Figure 4.1 The Relations of the Meanings of the Word Take in the Novel
Series A, which is to grasp and hold, as the central meaning, is derived to the others series. The derivation from Series A to the right denotes possession, to
the bottom denotes movement and to the left denotes obtaining something. In conclusion, there are three meaning relations of the word take. They are the notion
of possession, motion or movement, and obtaining something.
Series A Series B
Series C
Series D Series E
Series F Series G
Series H
Series I Series J
Series K Series L
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D. The Comparison of the Meanings with Dictionary Definitions
