2.1.2.1. Overt noun phrases
Arguments are most typically represented by noun phrases that occur in the subject position if they are agents and in the object position if they are patients. In the (a) example below, the NP spaghetti consists of a common noun that forms the patient of the eating event and therefore occurs in the object position following the subject. However, this argument may also be realized in a non-argument position when it is fronted for information-structural purposes such as topicalization [Pragmatics 4.2]. In example (b), the theme NP book ix3 is not in its argument position following e-v-a, but has been topicalized, which is marked by raised eyebrows over the entire argument NP.
a. j-o-h-n spaghetti eat
‘John ate spaghetti.’
re
b. book ix3 e-v-a write
‘As for the book, Eva wrote (it).’