The present paper is concerned with highlighting the importance and significance of the semanticsyntactic interface for the expression and interpretation of linguistic structures. This interface is
represented by the correlation of role archetypes like agent, patient and experiencer and grammatical
relations like subject and direct object. This study is conducted within the framework of Langacker's
model of cognitive grammar theory which asserts the indispensability of this interface for any
satisfactory analysis of linguistic constructions. This functional approach is intended to be
reactionary to formal approaches which advocate the autonomy of syntax from semantics. Thus in
formal theories, some syntactic issues like grammatical relations are identified and characterised
with no reference to semantic considerations. By contrast, cognitive grammar regards grammatical
relations and syntactic aspects like case markers as notionally grounded. Thus their identity and
description follow the cognitive psychology principle of figure/ground organization. The present paper is concerned with highlighting the importance and significance of the semanticsyntactic interface for the expression and interpretation of linguistic structures. This interface is
represented by the correlation of role archetypes like agent, patient and experiencer and grammatical
relations like subject and direct object. This study is conducted within the framework of Langacker's
model of cognitive grammar theory which asserts the indispensability of this interface for any
satisfactory analysis of linguistic constructions. This functional approach is intended to be
reactionary to formal approaches which advocate the autonomy of syntax from semantics. Thus in
formal theories, some syntactic issues like grammatical relations are identified and characterised
with no reference to semantic considerations. By contrast, cognitive grammar regards grammatical
relations and syntactic aspects like case markers as notionally grounded. Thus their identity and
description follow the cognitive psychology principle of figure/ground organization.