ACT functorACT (Actor) is a functor used primarily for the first argument. In those cases when there is no argument shifting, the modification with the ACT functor refers to the human or non-human originator of the event, the bearer of the event or a quality/property, the experiencer or possessor.
For the rules regarding the argument shifting, see Section 2.1.4, "Criteria for determining the type of argument (the principle of shifting)".
Although the Actor is defined primarily syntactically (as the first argument), it is also possible to provide some semantic characteristics of the argument. The ACT functor is usually assigned to modifications expressing the following cognitive roles:
the human originator of the event.
Examples:
Teprve před týdnem přestala za prací do Púchova dojíždět Ludmila Krajčová.ACT (=Only a week ago, Ludmila Krajčová stopped commuting to Púchov)
Její manžel.ACT tam však pracuje dál. (=Her husband still works there, though)
zločiny mafie.ACT na Sicílii (=the Mafia's crimes on Sicily)
schůzka premiéra.ACT s prezidentem (=the meeting of the Prime Minister with the President)
the non-human originator of the event.
Examples:
Ten román.ACT mě oslovil. (=The novel appealed to me)
Byl zabit bleskem.ACT (=He was killed by lightning)
the bearer of the event.
Examples:
Sklo.ACT zůstává nalepené na fólii (=The glass stays sticked to the foil)
Barvy.ACT Střížkových obrazů se stále zjasňují. (=The colors used in Střížek's paintings get brighter and brighter)
Matka.ACT leží. (=The Mother is in bed)
the bearer of a quality/property.
Examples:
Každý tah.ACT je rychlejší než slovo. (=Every move/stroke is faster than a word)
Karoserie.ACT je z plechu. (=The car body is made of plate)
radost obyvatel.ACT ze ziskané nezávislosti (=the joy of the citizens at the gained independence)
the possessor.
Examples:
Přítel.ACT má nové auto. (=A friend of mine has a new car)
Přítel.ACT prodal chalupu. (=A friend of mine sold his cottage)
the experiencer.
Examples:
Českým skokanům.ACT se dařilo dobře. (=The Czech jumpers were doing fine)
Je mi.ACT smutno. (=I am sad)
Forms of the Actor with verbs. The forms of modifications with the ACT functor differ depending on which part of speech the governing lexical item is. The basic forms of the Actor with verbs are:
noun in a non-prepositional case form.
The most common forms:
| nominative | Ministři potvrdili oznámený odhad vývoje kurzu koruny. (=The ministers.NOM confirmed the estimated development of the exchange rate of the crown) |
| instrumental | Zákon byl projednán parlamentem ve zkrácené lhůtě. (The law was discussed by the Parliament.INST) |
| dative | Ani ve snu se trenérovi nezdálo o takovém vítězství. (=lit. Not_even in dream (the) couch.DAT dreamt about such victory) |
prepositional phrase.
The most common forms:
| k+3 | K novým násilnostem došlo v noci na včerejšek. (=New acts of violance took place last night; lit. to new acts_of_violance.DAT) |
| na+4 | Na každého jednou dojde. (=lit. To everyone once comes; meaning Everyone gets into such a situation/gets down once) |
| o+4 | Jedná se o nezaměstnané a důchodce. (=It concerns the unemployed and retired) |
| z+2 | Z premiérova návrhu tentokrát sešlo. (=The Prime Minister's proposal was dropped) |
NB! The Actor can also be expressed by prepositional phrases that have various quantificational meanings: kolem+2, okolo+2, na+4, po+6, přes+3 etc. For example:
Každý týden opouštělo Československo okolo 40 kamionů.ACT (Every week, approximately forty trucks left Czechoslovakia)
Loni zahynulo při nehodách přes 500 cyklistů.ACT (=Last year, more than 500 cyclists died in accidents)
For more on these forms, see also Section 2.2.3, "Productive changes in the surface form (not specified in the valency frames)".
the infinitive.
Examples:
Je tedy namístě nehřešit.ACT na to, že mladý badatel pracuje s nadšením pro vědu, bez ohledu na plat. (=It is appropriate not to take advantage of...)
Na obchodní místo RM-S je nejlépe dostavit se.ACT osobně s platným občanským průkazem. (=It is best to come in person...)
Jíst.ACT je obřad. (=Eating (lit. to eat) is a ritual)
dependent clause.
The most common (subordinating) conjunctions:
| aby | Pro budoucnost je důležité, aby byl dokončen proces odstátnění. (=For the future, it is necessary to finish denationalizing) |
| co | Je to poprvé, co nějak její odpovědi komentuje. (=It is the first time he comments on her answers) |
| jestli/jestliže/-li | Není jisté, jestli to stihne včas. (=It is not sure whether he can make it) |
| kdyby | Bylo by ideální, kdyby nám korektor větu opravil. (=It would be best if the proofreader corrected the sentence) |
| zda | Není jisté, zda parlament školné vůbec odsouhlasí. (=It is not sure whether the Parliament passes the bill introducing the tuition fees) |
| že | Castrovi by mělo být jasné, že musí provést reformu. (=It should be clear to Castro that he has to carry out the reform) |
A dependent clause the effective root node of which is assigned the ACT functor can also be introduced by a variety of relative elements, often in combination with a supporting expression. For example:
| kdo | Komu se to nebude líbit, může klidně odejít. (=Those who won't like it can leave) Kdo nažene třináctiletou žábu do profesionálního tenisu, nevidí za roh. (=Who pushes a thirteen-year-old girl into professional tennis can't see the consequences) |
| co | Co nás potkalo, nebyl nevyhnutelný osud. (=What happened to us wasn't inevitable) |
| kdy | Ještě není jasné, kdy se zastupitelstvo sejde. (=It is not clear yet when the council meets) |
| jak | Vadí mi, jak nedostatečně se věnují práci herců. (=I don't like it how they neglect the actors perfomance) |
| kam | Je mi v podstatě jedno, kam nás zařadí. (=I don't care much where they put us) |
| proč | Není důležité, proč odešel. (=It is not important why he left) |
More examples:
<To>, co potřebuje.ACT , je nedosažitelné. (=What (lit. that what) he needs is out of his reach)
<Ten>, na koho se nedostalo.ACT , mohl zkusit štěstí ještě na černém trhu. (=The ones who (lit. that who) weren't lucky could try their luck..)
<To>, jak se chová.ACT , je hrozné. (=The way (lit. that how) he behaves is awful)
For more on supporting expressions, see Section 5.3, "Supporting expressions".
Forms of the Actor with nouns. The basic forms of the Actor with nouns are:
noun in a non-prepositional case form.
The most common forms:
| genitive | vývoj hlavních hospodářských ukazatelů (=the development of the main economic indices); souhlas Francouzů s maastrichtskými dohodami (=the French approval, lit. approval of the_French..) |
| instrumental | fingované nákupy nemovitostí českými občany (=lit. feigned purchase (of) real_estates (by) Czech citizens) |
possessive forms of adjectives and pronouns.
Examples:
jeho.ACT výkon (=his performance)
autorčina.ACT adaptace veršů (=the author's adaptation of her poems)
prepositional phrase.
The most common forms:
| mezi+7 (in reciprocal constructions) | spor mezi oběma smluvními partnery (=a dispute between the contracting parties) |
| od+2 | políček polskému papeži od polského parlamentu (=a slap in the face to the Polish pope from the Polish Parliament) |
dependent clause.
The Actor can be expressed by a dependent clause with nouns as well, especially if the dependent clause is introduced by a relative element in combination with a supporting word. For example:
kolaps <toho>, co ještě zbylo.ACT ve zdravotnictví (=the collapse of what (lit. that what) has remained..)
For more on supporting expressions, see Section 5.3, "Supporting expressions".
Forms of the Actor with adjectives. The Actor dependent on an adjective has mostly the (non-prepositional) instrumental form.
Example:
dokument připravený ministerstvem.ACT financí (=the document issued by the Ministry of Finance)
Border with the AUTH functor. The ACT functor is bordering on the AUTH functor in some cases (see Section 10.2, "AUTH"). For more on this border see Section 2.3.2.3.1, "Borderline between the Actor and AUTH".
Border with the PAT functor. When determining the first and second argument (ACT and PAT) one of which has the dative form, it may be hard to tell which is which; i.e. ACT may border on PAT. For more on this see Section 2.1.4, "Criteria for determining the type of argument (the principle of shifting)". The precise rules for determining the functor value are still to be established.