What Is a Carbon Tax

Simply put, a carbon tax is an environmental fee levied by governments on the production, distribution or use of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas. The amount of the tax depends on how much carbon dioxide each type of fuel emits when it is used to run factories or power plants, provide heat and electricity to homes and businesses, drive vehicles and so on. How Does a Carbon Tax Work? Essentially, a carbon tax—also known as a carbon dioxide tax or CO2 tax—is a tax on pollution: the more a company pollutes, the higher tax it pays. It is based on the economic principle of negative externalities. In the language of economics, externalities are costs or benefits created by the production of goods and services, so negative externalities are unpaid costs. When utilities, businesses or homeowners use fossil fuels, they generate greenhouse gases and other types of pollution that carries with it a cost for society, because pollution affects everyone.  Pollution affects people in different ways, including health effects, degradation of natural resources, down to less obvious effects like depressed property value.  The cost we bear for carbon emissions is an increase in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration, and as a consequence, global climate change. A carbon tax factors the societal cost of greenhouse gas emissions into the price of the fossil fuels that create them—so the people who cause the pollution have to pay for it.   To simplify the application of a carbon tax, the fees can be applied to the fossil fuel directly, for example as an extra tax on gasoline. How Does a Carbon Tax Promote Renewable Energy? By making dirty fuels like oil, natural gas, and coal more expensive, a carbon tax encourages utilities, businesses, and individuals to reduce energy consumption and increase energy efficiency. A carbon tax also makes clean, renewable energy from sources such as wind and solar more cost-competitive with fossil fuels, favoring investments in those technologies. How Can a Carbon Tax Reduce Global Warming? A carbon tax is one of two market-based strategies—the other is cap and trade—aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing global warming. The carbon dioxide created by burning fossil fuels gets trapped in the Earths atmosphere, where it absorbs heat and creates a greenhouse effect that leads to global warming—which scientists believe is causing significant climate changes. As a result of global warming, polar ice caps are melting at an accelerating rate, which contributes to coastal flooding worldwide and threatens habitat for polar bears and other species. Global warming also leads to more severe droughts, increased flooding, and more intense wildfires. In addition, global warming reduces the availability of fresh water  for people and animals who live in dry or desert areas. By reducing the release of carbon dioxide that is put into the atmosphere, scientists believe we can slow the rate of global warming. Carbon Taxes Are Being Adopted Worldwide A number of countries have instituted a carbon tax.  In Asia, Japan has had a carbon tax since 2012, South Korea since 2015. Australia introduced a carbon tax in 2012, but it was then repealed by a conservative federal government in 2014. A number of European countries have established carbon taxation systems, each with different characteristics.  In Canada, there is no country-level tax, but the provinces of Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta all tax carbon. Edited by Frederic Beaudry Sources and Further Reading Harrison, Kathryn. The Comparative Politics of Carbon Taxation. Annual Review of Law and Social Science 6.1 (2010): 507–29. Print.Lin, Boqiang, and Xuehui Li. The Effect of Carbon Tax on Per Capita CO. Energy Policy 39.9 (2011): 5137–46. Print.2 EmissionsMetcalf, Gilbert E. Designing a Carbon Tax to Reduce U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Review of Environmental Economics and Policy 3.1 (2008): 63–83. Print.

Long Term Effects Of Reentry Programs On Reducing Juvenile...

Long-term Effects of Reentry Programs On Reducing Juvenile Recidivism By: Tiffany Gilliam La Salle University PHLT 752: Capstone I Introduction Nearly, 5% of the world s population is represented by the United who possesses 25% of the world s prisoners (Liptak, 2008). Approximately 2.2 million prisoners are awaiting pre-trial and 1.6 million post-trial inmates are incarcerated in city, state, and federal prisons throughout the United States, equating to 756 per 100,000 people incarcerated (Carson Golinelli, 2013; Exworthy et. al., 2012). Nearly 700,000 men and women are discharged from prison yearly (Mallik-Kane Visher, 2008). Recidivism places a strain on the prison by means of over crowdedness and lack of funds. Recidivism is defined as repeated arrest or incarceration. A report, by the Bureau of Justice states that over 2/3 ex-felons were re-incarcerated within three years of previous conviction; eight out of ten suffers from chronic health conditions (James Glaze, 2006). Mental illness in the United States criminal justice system is significantly prevalent. The Bureau of Justice and Statics report that approximately 7 3% of females and 55% of males are in state prisons, while 75% of females and 63% of males are in local jails (James Glaze, 2006). Within this population, female inmates represent a large portion of those incarcerated in federal prisons diagnosed with mentalShow MoreRelatedThe Transition of an Offender from Jail into the Community Essay1901 Words   |  8 PagesMany would say that offenders are hopeless and if one looks at the rate of recidivism, one would definitely think that our nation’s offenders are indeed hopeless. However, what if there was a way to reduce the rate of recidivism and at the same time rehabilitate offenders in order to make them functioning members of the community? Reentry programs that are implemented correctly cannot only reduce the rate of recidivism but at the same time help to rehabilitate an offender through education, treatmentRead MoreThe Second Chance Act Of 2007939 Words   |  4 PagesCommunity Safety through Recidivism Safety. Recidivis m became a topic of focus since increasing numbers of inmates started getting let out in the society. The key stakeholders of this act are the society at large, the inmates and especially their families (O Hear, 2007). The Second Chance Act of 2007 can be quoted as â€Å"To reauthorize the grant program for reentry of offenders into the community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and implementationRead MoreComprehensive Gang And Delinquency Prevention Programs2329 Words   |  10 PagesThese comprehensive gang and delinquency prevention programs uses different techniques and to direct youth to positive alternatives. 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What role does drug use, motherhood, mental health, physicalRead MorePrison : Recidivism And Reentry3158 Words   |  13 PagesWomen in Prison: Recidivism and Reentry The study of recidivism amongst women in prison is important because most research focuses on the male population. The reasons for the â€Å"revolving door† phenomenon are different for women; therefore, their treatment should be more gender focused and specific to their needs. Judging by the rates at which women recidivate, you could assume that somewhere along the way the system has failed them. What role does drug use, motherhood, mental health, physicalRead MoreMentoring Program to Reduce Juvenile Recidivism4170 Words   |  17 Pagescited as at risk for committing long-term community problems like rise in crime due to substance abuse, school drop-out and several forms of academic failures, delinquencies, criminal offenses and unemployment (e.g. Grisso, Vincent Seagrave, 2005; Champion Mays, 1991; Fellmeth, 2002). According to Grisso and his colleagues (2005), the argument that in order to help young offenders that were placed under rehabilitation centers reconnect to community and avoid recidivism is to provide them educationRead MorePreventing Delinquency And Its Effects On Society1831 Words   |  8 Pagesits victims and on society. He claims that it costs states billions of dollars a year to arrest, prosecute, incarcerate, and treat juvenile offenders. Investing in successful delinquency-prevention programs can save taxpayers seven to ten dollars for every dollar invested, primarily in the form of reduced spending on prisons. The most successful community-based programs are those that have huge family interactions, probably because they focus on providing skills to the adults who are in the best positionRead MoreEssay about Recidivism: Prison and Ex-offenders2347 Words   |  10 PagesThe Argumentative Research Paper Melissa Walker (an acquaintance of the author) sits within the walls of her concrete cell at Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women (FCCW). Walker is making a contribution to this year’s recidivism rate. She was released from prison in 2008 after serving seven years of confinement. Sadly to say, this year she reoffended by stealing credit card information from her â€Å"Productive Citizenship† instructor. Her new charges are credit card theft, forgery, as well asRead MoreDo Prisons Work Essay example2876 Words   |  12 PagesIncarceration and Treatment Programs. Critically examine the Current Treatment Programs offered and Subsequent Impact on Recidivism upon Individuals being released globally and WA specifically. This study will examine the effectiveness of current prison treatment programs in Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, United States of America in rehabilitating or reforming an individual and coinciding recidivism rates upon a prisoners release. Prison based treatment programs for sex offenders inRead MoreThe Economic Effects Of Overpopulated Prisons1500 Words   |  6 Pages The Economic Effects of Overpopulated Prisons in the United States: Christopher Polinsky, Ronald Stewart, Ryan Thornton, and Skipper Schuyler Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Prepared for Dr. Kasthuri Henry ESTIS Visiting Assistant Professor September 25, 2016 Of the nearly nine million people incarcerated worldwide, the United States houses over two million inmates in its federal, state, and local facilities. While the goal of the judicial system is to enforce the law

Parental Influence On The Goon Squad - 1886 Words

Parental Influence on the Goon Squad Parental Influence is arguably one of the largest contributing factors when it comes to shaping an individual. This same idea can be applied to literature, serving to help us understand characters when we are having a hard time seeing the full picture. While parental influences are an important aspect for interpreting characters, they are often overlooked due to such a large amount of information being fed to the reader. This such problem is exemplified in Jennifer Egan’s story, A Visit From The Goon Squad, because of the vast amount of information provided for each character, along with the shift in time periods throughout the novel, it’s easy to overlook some information. The relationship between a child and their parents creates a foundation on which their persona is built upon, and helps to shape them into their future self. Over the course of the novel Egan demonstrates how this child parent relationship and its influences can vary greatly between homes. With a majority of the characters hailing from broken homes, the reader gets to experience the good and the bad that can come from being raised in a single parent household. Ultimately, the effect that parental influence has on the characters from A Visit From The Goon Squad shows us that children who are raised in broken homes may experience some hardships, but that they can learn from those hardships and emerge from this â€Å"disadvantage† unscathed. In America divorce is a common

Marion Barry Essay Example For Students

Marion Barry Essay Marion Barry, good mayor but bad man. Marion Barry former Mayor of the United States capital. Most known in America for his Bitch set me up, video taped, Ramada Inn arrest. Charged with possession of a controlled substance, he was still reelected in 1994. This proving Mayor Barry was respected by many Washington citizens and a good Mayor. Marion Barry was possibly a great man with great intentions but weaknesses to sex, drugs, racism and pressures of the position of taking care of a city. Marion Barry born in Mississippi 1936. Raised in a poor family with a yearly income of $250, Marion grew a hatred for the white ruled society around him. Wanting so much more than what he had Marion always struggled to earn as much money as he could. Marion had many jobs as a teenager and teachers often understood he was a very hardworking individual. Barry always stayed out of crime devoting himself to hard work at school and work. (Agronsky 79-85)Upon graduating from high school the same year of the Brown v. Board of Education of Tope ka, Kansas Supreme Court case, Marion would be the first Barry to attend college (Agronsky 87). Growing up in the desegregation period of America shaped the racially focused person Marion Barry became. Marion Barry attended LeMoyne College in South-Memphis were he majored in Chemistry. Teachers and Students alike agree he studied Chemistry to be different from the rest of black students attending LeMoyne (Agronsky 87). Marion claims to have had very different values than others brought up in the same area as he and he was always an individual (Agronsky 88). Unlike many black students in the fifties Marion was very driven by a struggle for civil rights and racial equality. When LeMoyne trustee Walter Chandler made several anti-integration statements Marion took his first action against racism. He wrote a letter to the school newspaper demanding Chandlers resignation. The letter was eventually reprinted in several Memphis newspapers. Upon reading the letter the NAACP executive Roy Aki ns stepped in and Prendergast 2heralded Marion as one of the most righteous young men in Memphis! (Agronsky 91). Even though the college was not very happy about Barrys remarks, the students and people of Memphis regarded him as a hero and a hope in the new civil rights movement sweeping the south (Agronsky 93). (Agronsky 90-93)While getting his Masters Degree in Chemistry at Fisk University in Nashville, Marion Barry would continue the struggle for integration. Participating in sit-ins at white restaurants and other non-violent protests toward Jim Crow laws. Also at this time Marion Barry heard Martin Luther King Jr.s inspirational words for the first time. Barry became more and more involved in the civil right movement and was eventually elected chairman of the newly formed Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Here he earned his name as a civil rights leader giving very powerful speeches and acquiring large funds for the group. (Agronsky 95-105) Often the SNCC would p rotest in Washington D.C. and Marion Barry gained recognition with the people of the city. Jonathan I.Z. Agronsky claims to see a pattern in Marion Barry through all this. He believes Barry is driven by his own struggle for manhood and lust for woman. In Kansas Marion Barry taught a few chemistry classes and some female students claimed he was a sexual deviant. Also many friends he had in the civil rights movement commented on his flirtations with women. (Agronsky 95-105) Possibly this is the first warning signs of a person who will need to control himself if he wishes to represent a people or a city. Finding politics his true calling Marion Barry dropped out of school to work full time for SNCC. After many struggles in the south to get blacks on delegation boards the SNCC would sent Marion to northern cities to gain funds for the movements. Marion would hold huge fund-raisers in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia. Barry saw that even though the northern cities were integrated they still held problems for blacks. They often lived in ghettos and with low-paying jobs. Racial situations in the city also needed social reform (Agronsky 120). The first city the SNCC approached for reform was Washington D.C., they sent Marion to head the movement there.Even though Washington D.C. was integrated black and whites did not mix well. It was a unspoken understanding that blacks were not accepted at white establishments. A bigger problem was Prendergast 3that the people of the city did not have any voting privileges until 1961 when they were granted the right to vote for the president. However they did not have any representation in congress. (Agronsky 122)The Majority of people in Washington were black. Barry felt they were not being represented. Also in urban areas it was difficult to rally many to one cause because the people were alienated, antisocialangrierlacking the sharply defined target of the south filled with undirected hostility and generalized mistrust says Clayborne Carson (Agronsky 124). Marion however overcomes this and leads a boycott of the D.C. transit. Barry also led a campaign called Free D.C. which was formed to grant Washington home rule. Free D.C. consisted of block-parties and youth gatherings, Marion would educate blacks on the benefits of being involved in politics.(Agronsky 127-131)Marion would later resign from the SNCC claiming The civil rights direction of protest is deadNow we must concentrate on control-economic and political power. (Agronsky 131) With Youth Pride Economic Enterprises (PEE) Barry led acquired federal funds from Johnsons Gr eat Society and helped get thousands of black 14-18 year olds jobs cleaning the streets of D.C.. PEE also was formed to stimulate black owned business in the poor areas. Pride consisted of many parolees and despite drug abuse and a few murders linked to Pride workers, Pride helped many blacks get on the straight path to the American dream. Marion Barry became very popular with the community at this point. (Agronsky 135-148)Barry won his first election to a Police reform board. Here The board was designed to lower crime and prevent social disturbances between Police and residents. Many did not approve of Barrys tactics of confronting current board members and forcing them to resign. Often Marion would storm a meeting and humiliate all in attendance. He had many clashes with police but always walked off a free man. Court juries could not come to a unanimous decision and the trials would be canceled. (Agronsky 155-165) Possibly Marion was never convicted because the government feared h im. Marion held great power over the poor black population of D.C.. Barry then ran for the only elective office for which a District of Columbia resident could compete (Agronsky 167), a seat on the Board of Education. Marion Barry was rapidly becoming a very Prendergast 4likable and powerful politician. He won the seat and then went on to win board president. Barry however used the position to boost his popularity and gain power in racial politics not necessarily improve the Education in the schools. Barry would often call any white politician, who opposed his actions, racist; causing them to back down. Barry however never lost face with the black citizens of Washington. This would strengthen him immensely for blacks were the majority in D.C.. (Agronsky 167-175)In 1975 Marion runs for city councilman and wins. As councilman he gained practical police immunity and strengthened his bond with the citys people. He would continually use race as a political tool to gain power and get thin gs done. After a gun wound in a 1977 terrorist attack on the District Building Marion Barry gained even more popularity. He gained popularity in the now half black staffed police force and other groups. (Agronsky 175-181) Barry finally runs for mayor 1978. With the backing of the police union, the teacher union and the firefighters union(Lemann) and the fact he seemed to be the real vote against racism (Lemann) Barry was a natural in. The Washington post believed Barry was just what the city needed, a person who would spice things up a bit. They wanted a Mayor who would not hesitate to take action. (Washington Post Editorial 1978) The city expected Barry to narrow the gap between black and whites (Lemann) economically and socially. Sub Seven Virus EssayWashington citizens have no representation in Congress and therefore I believe this control board is unfair. The people reelected Barry and therefore must trust him. Congress has never limited a Mayors power before (Shepard). Congress should not be able to take the power from the people because they fear a black Mayor that has made a few mistakes in the past. Barry paid for his mistakes yet is not allowed to wield the power he was granted by the majority of his city. Marion Barry has shown us America is the land of opportunity. He has also showed us how unfair our government may be. Barry has shown us two extremes, any goal can be accomplished, yet we must still work on our system to perfect it. Marion Barry has seen many generations come and go. He has seen his political career come and go. He has seen the civil rights movement come and go. Hes seen a fair government come and go. Marion has showed us the majority truly does rule, by selecting a sinful Mayor on his merits and not his demerits. However he has showed us in the case of Washington D.C. of government can be unfair and we must not stand for it. Prendergast 7Works CitedAgronsky, Jonathan I.Z.. Marion Barry: The politics of Race. Latham: British American Publishing. 1991. Barras, Jonetta Rose. The Last of the Black Emperors. Baltimore: Bancroft Press. 1998Coleman, Milton. Marion Barry: The Activist Denies Hes Changed. Washington Post 2 January 1979Lemann, Nicholas. The Question Is: Will He Deliver? Washington Post 16 December 1979Loeb, Vernon. D.C.s Mild-Mannered Mayor. Washington Post 24 October 1997: B01Marion Barry for Mayor. Editorial. Washington Post 30 August 1978 Marion Barry for Mayor. Editorial. Washington Post 2 November 1986Marion Barry: Making of a Mayor. 21 May 1998 (25 February 2000). The Next Mayor. Editorial. Washington Post 10 September 1982 Piann, Eric and Tom Sherwood. Barrys Chickens Prepare to Roost. Washington Post 19 January 1983 Shepard, Paul. Mayor for Life Without a City. Kansas City Star 23 August 1997: n.p. York, Michael and Track Thompson. Barry Sentenced to Months in Prison. Washington Post 27 October 1990: A01

Winners and Losers Essay Example For Students

Winners and Losers Essay In life, winners are those that are tenacious and pursue their goals, and losers are those that dont attempt to make an effort at all. What is the difference between them? People consider winners to be super intelligent and losers to be really lazy, but this may not always be the case. Though brainpower plays a minor role in determining the success of a person, it is not just this factor that determines the success or failure of a person. The winners are those who work diligently every step of the way and stay resilient even when they do not succeed. We will write a custom essay on Winners and Losers specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now However, on the other hand, losers fall down, never to get up; they surrender before even meeting a challenge. My dad, gifted with a photographic memory, preferred to live more idly rather than work hard for his future. Being the only son in the family, he was spoilt; all he had to do was go to school and study. However, as a high school student, he chose to spend his life outrageously by following other students ideals of drug use and parties. As the results, he was a drug addict and had to drop out of school immediately. Instead of choosing a better path by using his talents where he could be a well-known doctor, he squandered every chance of becoming someone great. As for my aunt, she wasnt fortunate like my dad. She had to work and study at the same time. Based on our Vietnameses tradition, girls dont need high education; we just only need to know how to cook and sew. So instead of being proud, my grandmother yelled at her for studying so hard; ignoring for the fact that she wanted to. Despite all the mistakes that she made during the way, she chose the path of diligence and succeeded in life where her brother failed. My hard-working aunt, though not a genius, triumphed over my idyllic, smart dad. Throughout high school, my aunt studied into the wee-hours of the night. All my gifted dad had to do was look at the paper once, and hell remember everything. Instead of choosing to use his talents, he preferred to drink, smoke, and party all night while my aunt worked diligently at her homework. The life-style of my two relatives had different consequences. With all her hard-work, my aunt went to a well-known university, graduated with high honors, and became a respected doctor in Vietnam. Even with his extraordinary brain capacity, my dad ruined himself by partying and having fun rather than exerting effort for his future. These two people, growing up in the same family, chose different paths-hard-working versus laziness-showed how different the results would be when one works hard instead of slack off. Though intelligence would make the road to success easier, it is the hard-work and resilience that triumph out in the end. My aunt and dads experiences have helped me see the differences between the rewards of trying hard and the consequences of slacking off. Knowing the different results-of trying hard which usually ends in a great life versus not trying which leads to complete, utter failure-everyday I assiduously strive to do the best job in my capabilities instead of only exerting the minimal amount of effort possible. Armed with this view, I consider winners to be those that play all the cards they are dealt in life in an outstanding way, taking up all challenges logically, and not fearing to get up after failing. On the other hand, losers are those disinclined and lack the courage to try again or work hard to achieve their goals. Hard work and perseverance define the difference between the losers and winners of life.

Thoreau on Civil Disobediance essays

Thoreau on Civil Disobediance essays Henry David Thoreaus basis for objecting to the government was very well thought-out, as he details three main tenets in opposing an unjust government. He starts out by stating the individual duties each person has as a mere citizen, as a good neighbor. Things such as maintaining your humanity and conscience are key, he says. Then, he outlines what people should do in response to government injustices, mainly in the form of civil disobedience and not partaking in unjust government practices. Finally, Thoreau speaks about his own experiences with civil disobedience and what he has seen of it. Speaking about his time in jail, he talks about how he has tried to follow his own moral code instead. Overall, he stresses much importance on the individual and individual action, and the effect of immediate action from the minority. Therefore, Thoreaus main point in Civil Disobedience is for the individual to immediately do what he thinks is right in a moral sense, even if it involves opposing the government. The first part of his essay details what duties people have as good neighbors, not just as mere objects of the government. People should not resign their consciences over to the government he says, as others cannot be trusted with ones conscience. The majority conscience should not always be followed either, as it only expresses the desires of the strongest group, not the most virtuous or morally correct. And since that is what the government does, Thoreau is opposed to it. However, instead of demanding no government whatsoever, he wants a better one immediately. One that governs least, and is not constantly pestering its citizens and changing their mindsets. Instead of following only the law and nothing else, which is what the government makes some people do, it robs people of their humanity and turns them into mere machines. One example of this type of person is the soldier, who uses no moral influence in...

Syntax

Syntax Introduction to semantic roles Semantic roles are parts that participants play in certain circumstances (Dang Palmer, 2005, p.42). They express the relationship that a constituent has with the rest of the clause. The main verbs in a clause are normally responsible for expressing this relationship. Semantic roles include; agents, patients, location, instruments, causer, experiencer, theme, benefactee, source, and goal (2005, p.43).Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Syntax-Semantic Roles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An agent is the participant that the verb describes as doing or intentionally causing something (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002,p.249). Kim ate the food hurriedly. The boy hit the wall. In the sentences above, Kim and the boy are the agents. Kim does the act of eating while the boy intentionally hits the wall. The causer, on the other hand, is the participant that the verb identifies as causing someth ing but not intentionally (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002,p.250). In the examples shown below, the stone does not have any intention to destroy the house; neither does the fire in burning the crops. The stone destroyed the house.Advertising Looking for critical writing on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The fire burnt the crops. According to Gildea and Jurafsky (2002, p.250), the instrument is the medium which the agent uses to carry out the action the predicator denotes. The bat in the sentence below is the instrument. Humphrey hit the ball with a bat. The experiencer is the participant who is aware of something or experiencing something. This participant is normally animate and unintentionally perceives sensory stimuli or state of mind (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002, p.251). The student felt uncomfortable in church. The student unintentionally feels bad while in church. The patient is the participant to whom an actio n happens (Gildea, Jurafsky, 2002,p.249). The action that the verb denotes affects the patient. In the sentence â€Å"The boy hit the ball,† The ball is the patient because the action of hitting affects it directly.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Syntax-Semantic Roles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Gildea and Jurafsky (2002, p.249) define a theme as the participant whom the verb describes as being dynamic or in a state or position. â€Å"Post† is the theme in this sentence. The post rolled into the river. The Recipient is an endpoint of the act of transferring an item (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002, p.249). John is the recipient in this sentence. He receives a letter from Amos. Amos sent a letter to John. The Benefactee is the participant who benefits from the results of an action (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002, p.249). John is a benefactee in this sentence. John benefits from the act of buying the sh irt. I bought a nice shirt for John. Location is normally a noun phrase that specifies the position of an item (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002,p.250). A location verb normally accompanies the agent in specifying this position. In the sentence, â€Å"Jim put his books on the table.† â€Å"Put† is the verb of location while the table is the location.Advertising Looking for critical writing on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The source is the participant from which motion originates. It is, therefore, the starting point of a movement or action (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002, p.250). When someone says, â€Å"We expect to get a loan from the bank.† Then â€Å"the bank† becomes the source in this sentence. Gildea and Jurafsky (2002, p.249) define the goal as the destination or the end point of a movement or an action. The bank is the goal in the sentence below since the participants direct their action towards the bank. We took the director to the bank to withdraw money for the salaries. Semantic roles and Passive constructions The GB theory argues that there is a similarity in both active and passive constructions (Black, 1999, p.29). According to this theory, the semantic roles of the lexicons in the sentence can help bring out these similarities in active and passive constructions. This means every constituent has a semantic role and an extra role for the subject (1999, p.30). The theory further observes that some verbs do not give a semantic role to the position of the subject. The GB theory also proposes that forms that relate to each other share a sub categorization frame and, therefore, there ought not to be cross linking of semantic roles and syntactic categories. This means that it is a crime to assign the theme to both the subject and the object in entries that relate to each other (1999). Black (1999, p.30) argues that the theme is always the direct object while the indirect object is always the recipient. Another assumption allows an item to move out of a position but forbids the replacement of another item in that position (Black, 1999, p.30). This, therefore, means, the semantic role remains in its former position and does not move with the outgoing phrase. The semantic role is, therefore, a constituent of the lexical sub categorization (1999, p.30). This theory forbids an element from moving into a position that relates to a semantic role because it makes the ne w occupant of the position take over that role, thus changing the linking that was originally there. The proponent of the GB theory agrees with earlier theorists that only transitive verbs have passive forms (Black, 1999, p.31). Therefore, no lexical rule can generate a passive form from intransitive verbs. Lexical rules normally help in illustrating generalizations such as this one about the relationship between passive forms and transitive verbs. In a sentence like; John was invited to the party by Jane, a rule like this one below can help illustrate the generalizations. V [+pass], [_ NP X (PP [to]) (PP[by]) ] Theme Goal Agent Sometimes, there is the need for interchanging the subject and object positions. This is possible especially when the subject position has no semantic role at the D-structure and has no lexicon to fill it (Black, 1999, p.32). This agrees with the Principle of No Loss of Information. Normally, a trace remains behind to retain the link between the object and t he related semantic role (1999, p.32). Unaccusative Clauses There is the need to distinguish between categories of intransitive verbs. To do this, it is important to determine whether the noun phrase in the position of the subject does the action or the action affects it (Black, 1999, p.32). John feels good. Jean collapsed. The plate broke. John broke the handle. In the first example above, feels is an ordinary intransitive verb whose subject, John, is an Agent. On the other hand, John just collapsed. He did not do anything to make himself collapse. Therefore, in the second example, the subject has the role of the theme. In the third and fourth examples, the breaking affects â€Å"the plate† and â€Å"the handle†. â€Å"The plate† and â€Å"the handle† take the theme role. In the third example, the action is unaccusative while, in the fourth, it is transitive. The verb â€Å"Feels† has an Agent in the position of the subject, while â€Å"collapseà ¢â‚¬  has nothing in this position but has a theme object and â€Å"break† has an agent that is optional. Raising constructions This category involves verbs that have a finite or non-finite complement, but do not give semantic roles to their normative positions (Black, 1999). Raising verbs include likely and seem (1999, p.33). The use of the pronoun â€Å"it† shows the lack of semantic roles especially in cases when a complement that is finite is in use. In cases where a complement that is non-finite is present, the subject of the dependent clause takes the position of the independent clause. Conclusion The most important part of this topic is the meaning of the various semantic roles; agent, source, goal, theme etc. The other thing is to know the rules that guide the movement of lexical items from one position to the other. It is important to know that there should be no cross linking of semantic roles and syntactic categories in related forms. This topic also stress es that an item is free to move out of a position, but the position should not be filled by another item. This helps avert the problem of altering the semantic role of that position. The semantic roles discussed should be used to bring out the similarities between active and passive constructions. This work also reveals that the noun phrase occupying the subject position does not have to be doing an action. Sometimes the action of the verb affects it. The NP can, therefore, be an agent or the theme. References Black, C. A. (1999). A step-by-step introduction to the Government and Binding theory of syntax. Summer Institute of Linguistics-Mexico Branch and University of North Dakota. www. sil. Org/americas/mexico/ling/E002-IntroGB. Pdf. Dang, H. T., Palmer, M. (2005, June). The role of semantic roles in disambiguating verb senses. In Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting on Association for Computational Linguistics (pp. 42-49). Association for Computational Linguistics. Gildea, D., Jurafsky, D. (2002). Automatic labeling of semantic roles. Computational linguistics, 28(3), 245-288.