<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
</head>
<body>
For a start, I am ready to agree that Fillmorean semantic roles are
a bit outdated. Still, some of them, like recipient, experiencer or
possessor, may be met in publications to this day. So this question
is directed to those of you who think that under suitable
conditions, it makes sense to speak of semantic roles (or whatever
you prefer to name them).<br>
<br>
What is the role of the participant that needs something? On the one
hand, Latin <i>carere</i> and <i>egere</i> mean 'to not have'.
This would seem to involve a possessor. On the other hand, Cabecar <i>kiana̱</i>
means 'be wanted' and <i>shë́na̱</i> means ‘be missed’. This would
seen to involve an experiencer (a pretty ill-defined role, anyway).<br>
<br>
Such evidence from descriptive linguistics may imply that the
presupposition of my question, viz. that there is a
language-independent notion of 'need', is not fulfilled. This would
be a pity, as it would render a comparative investigation of the
kind 'how is the notion of "X needs Y" coded cross-linguistically'
(in the spirit, e.g., of the Leipzig valency database) more
complicated or even - from a theoretical point of view - impossible.<br>
<br>
Grateful for any helpful suggestions,<br>
Christian<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<p style="font-size:90%">Prof. em. Dr. Christian Lehmann<br>
Rudolfstr. 4<br>
99092 Erfurt<br>
<span style="font-variant:small-caps">Deutschland</span></p>
<table style="font-size:80%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Tel.:</td>
<td>+49/361/2113417</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>E-Post:</td>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:christianw_lehmann@arcor.de">christianw_lehmann@arcor.de</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Web:</td>
<td><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.christianlehmann.eu">https://www.christianlehmann.eu</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
</body>
</html>