Subject


Definition: Subject
A subject is the source of a relation. 

Note:
Do not confuse subject and object with active and passive. 

Active and passive are semantic, they give 'meaning' to a relation. It is the relation which will dictate which participants (subjects or objects) in a composition are semantically active or passive.

For example when we have the relation "is hit by", then the subject in this relation will be semantically passive.

Example

The haschild relation

Assume we have a family with a grandparent, a parent and a child.

The following relations hold:

In the relation grandparent haschild parent, the grandparent is the subject.

In the relation parent haschild child, the parent is the subject.


diputree documentation © 2000 dipu