Patient As A Semantic Role
Definition: Patient is a semantic role that is usually the surface
object of the verb in a sentence.
Discussion: Some linguists define the patient and affected semantic
roles in slightly different ways.
Longacre 1983 155–156 (following Chafe) defines a patient as the entity:
predicated with a state or location
undergoing a change of state or location, or
which is possessed, acquired or exchanged.
Larson 1984 199–203 defines the affected role as the:
thing that is affected by an event
person or thing that undergoes a process, or
person who experiences an event.
Examples: (Longacre 1983) [patients in italics]
The entity predicated with a state or location:
The door is open. / John is at home.
The entity undergoing a change of state or location:
He opened the door. / The door swung open. / He threw the ball across
the yard. / The ball rolled off the table.
The entity which is possessed, acquired, or exchanged:
John has a new book. / John bought a new book. / John gave Mary a new
book. (Larson 1984)
Affected semantic role
The thing that is affected by an event:
The dog ate the meat. / The tree fell on the house.
The person or thing that undergoes a process:
The water evaporated. / Mary became sad.
The person who experiences an event:
John smelled the smoke. Mary saw the snake. ...........
Also Known As: Affected / Undergoer
Best Answer
I'd say the policeman is the agent and the man is the patient. As the man undergoes the experience of being looked at and the policeman is the "doer" of the act (looking).