Actor / Source
Subject
Agent
Causer
Who or what starts the event?
core
basic
Scene core
Signification
The participant that acts, causes, initiates, controls, or is presented as the source of an event.
Comment le repérer
Ask who is doing, causing, or starting the event.
Exemples
Mots
I|Peter|the dog|the machine|the wind
Expressions
the teacher explains|the wind opens
Phrase
The dog bit the postman.
Visual guide
Basic shape
ACTOR / SOURCE who starts the event? [the dog] -> bit -> postman [the wind] -> opens [the teacher] -> explains = doer/causer/source
Compare shape
Actor clues may differ order: [dog] bit postman case: [dog-NOM/ERG] agreement: dog -> verb pronoun form: I / me topic: [dog-TOP] voice: by [dog] role = event starter
Vue par langue
Dans votre langue
French (standard)
Présence
strong
Importance
The actor is usually before the verb and explicit subjects are normally required.
Marie travaille.
Marie works.
Dans la langue d’apprentissage
Arabic (Modern Standard)
Présence
strong
Difficulté
Actors are often nominative and reflected in verb agreement; explicit subjects can be omitted when the verb is enough.
كتب الطالب الدرس.
The student wrote the lesson.
Difficulté fréquente
Learners may rely only on word order and miss agreement or nominative marking.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.