What Makes an Agent an Agent? Comparing the Semantic Properties of Instruments and Prototypical Agents in Subject Position

This study investigates the defining properties of Agents and the interplay of syntax and semantics in semantic inferences, based on Dowty’s Proto-Role Hypothesis. Five properties from Dowty’s list were selected, and 39 Italian sentence pairs showing the Instrument-subject Alternation were created. 93 participants rated how much Agents, Instrument-subjects, Instrument-PPs and Patients exhibit each property. Results show that while some properties are sensitive to syntactic realization, others are linked to lexical semantics and world knowledge, supporting the view that semantic inferences arise from an interaction between syntax and semantics.