# [ss Theme]

## Optional [p hi/को]-marking
> Use [ss Theme] with appropriate construals as needed.

The postposition [p hi/को] optionally marks a Theme only when there is some prototypical Agent involved in the action. That Agent isn't necessarily even named in the sentence. There is also evidence that the optional [p hi/को] marks more salient or definite objects (e.g. it is not optional on animate objects).[^magier]

* [gex 001 "{मैंने 1SG-ERG} {उस[p hi/को Theme--Theme]||3SG-DAT} {मारा। hit-PRF}" "I hit him"]
* [gex 002 "{मैंने 1SG-ERG} {उस[p hi/को Stimulus--Theme]||3SG-DAT} {देखा। hit-PRF}" "I hit him"]

[^magier]: Magier, David. "[The transitivity prototype: evidence from Hindi.](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00437956.1987.11435888)" *Word* 38.3, 1987. 187-199.

# [ss Agent]

## Impelled agents marked by [p hi/से]
> Use [ss Agent--Instrument] (or any of the other relevant ने scene roles).

The **impelled agent** (मध्यस्थ कर्ता) is a mediator forced to do some action by a full Agent (marked with ने). They lack the volition of the full agent. This construction involves a second causative verb.

* [gex 003 "{मैंने 1SG-ERG} {बाई maid} {[p hi/से Agent--Instrument] INS} {बच्चे child} {को DAT} {सुलवाया। make-sleep-PRF}" "I made the maid put the child to sleep."]

First of all, the function is undoubtedly [ss Instrument] since it is an entity applying causal force. Now what reasoning is there for the scene role not being the same? Well, if an actual [ss Instrument] is used to perform some action, the second causative verb is ungrammatical. A first causative verb is used when the intermediary has no agency at all.[^begum]

* [gex 004 "{मैंने 1SG-ERG} {चाबी key} {[p hi/से INstrument--Instrument] INS} {ताला lock} {खोला। open-PRF}" "I opened the lock with the key."]
* [gex 005 "{मैंने 1SG-ERG} {मालिक owner} {[p hi/से Agent--Instrument] INS} {ताला lock} {खुलवाया। make-open-PRF}" "I made the owner open the lock."]

So it's not [ss Instrument--Instrument]. That is why I have settled on using [ss Agent--Instrument] as the construal, since it captures both the impelling and the agency encoded in the construction.

The problem is that instrumental agent does not perform the action with volition. However, I don't think volition should be considered in the formulation of SNACS as it stands. My thoughts below on modal and passive constructions will support that opinion.

[^begum]: Begum, Rafiya, and Dipti Misra Sharma. "[A preliminary work on causative verbs in Hindi.](https://www.aclweb.org/anthology/W10-32.pdf#page=129)" *Proceedings of the 8th Workshop on Asian Language Resources*. 2010.