Prototypically, an [ss Agent] intentionally applies the [ss Instrument] with the purpose of achieving a result:

- [ex 001 "I broke the window [p en/with Instrument] a hammer."]

- [ex 002 "I destroyed the argument [p en/with Instrument] my words."]

Less prototypically, the action could be unintentional:

- [ex 003 "I accidentally poked myself in the eye [p en/with Instrument] a stick."]

The key is that the [ss Instrument] is not sufficiently “independently causal” to instigate the event.

However, to downplay the agency of the individual operating the instrument, the instrument can be placed in a passive [p en/by]-phrase, which construes it as the instigator:

- [ex 004 "The window was broken [p en/by Instrument--Force] the hammer. ([ss Instrument--Force])"]

- [ex 005 "My headache was alleviated [p en/by Instrument--Force] aspirin. ([ss Instrument--Force])"]

Note that the examples in [exref 004 Instrument] can be rephrased in active voice with the [ss Instrument] as the subject.

A device serving as a mode of transportation or medium of communication counts as an [ss Instrument], but is often construed as a [ss Locus] or [ss Path]:

- [ex 006 "Communicate [p en/by Instrument] <u>phone</u>/<u>email</u>. ([ss Instrument])"]

- [ex 007 "Talk [p en/on Instrument--Locus] the phone. ([ss Instrument--Locus])"]

- [ex 008 "Send it <u>[p en/over Instrument--Path]</u>/<u>[p en/via Instrument--Path]</u> email. ([ss Instrument--Path])"]

- [ex 009 "Travel [p en/by Instrument] train. ([ss Instrument])"]

- [ex 010 "Escape [p en/with Instrument] a getaway car. ([ss Instrument])"]

- [ex 011 "Escape [p en/in Instrument--Locus] the getaway car. ([ss Instrument--Locus])"]

This includes some expressions which incorporate the [ss Instrument] in a noun:

- [ex 012 "ride [p en/on Instrument--Locus] horseback ([ss Instrument--Locus])"]

- [ex 013 "hold [p en/at Instrument--Locus] knifepoint ([ss Instrument--Locus])"]

Other non-prototypical instruments that can be construed as paths include waypoints from [ss Source] to [ss Goal], and people/organizations serving as intermediaries:

- [ex 014 "We flew to London [p en/via Instrument--Path] Paris. ([ss Instrument--Path])"]

- [ex 015 "I found out the news [p en/via Instrument--Path] Sharon. ([ss Instrument--Path])"]

- [ex 016 "Joan bought her house [p en/through SocialRel--Instrument] a real estate agent. ([ss SocialRel--Instrument])"]

- [ex 017 "For my Honda I always got replacement parts [p en/through Org--Instrument] the dealership. ([ss Org--Instrument])"]

Conversely, roadways count as [ss Path]s but can be construed as [ss Instrument]s:

- [ex 018 "Escape [p en/through Path] the tunnel. ([ss Path])"]

- [ex 019 "Escape [p en/by Path--Instrument] tunnel. ([ss Path--Instrument])"]

Compare [ss Means], which is used for facilitative events rather than entities.
See also [ss Topic].