O śmianiu się z czegoś i z kogoś, czyli o przedmiotowym i podmiotowym znaczeniu czasownika śmiać się

The aim of this paper is to discuss the main syntactic and semantic features of the Polish predicate śmiać się (to laugh) within the theory of Semantic Syntax (Karolak 1984, 2002). It forms two, only seemingly similar, predicate-argument structures containing a prepositional phrase connected with the Polish preposition z + Gen. (at): 1) [ktoś] śmieje się z [kogoś ABSTR / czegoś ABSTR] ([somebody] laughs at [somebody ABSTR / something ABSTR]) and 2) [ktoś] śmieje się [z kogoś / czyjegoś], że_ ([somebody] laughs at [somebody / something what belongs to somebody] + SENT). The analysis shows they are different in terms of status and semantic roles of their arguments, axiological markedness, objective or subjective reference of the humour incorporated in the act of laughter. Also, they denote different semantic scenarios: the first means a vocal and facial reaction to ludic humour, the second constitutes a complex act of speech in which satirical, verbal or non-verbal humour is used as a pretext to communicate the agent’s disapproving judgment of the patient, or an antipathetic attitude towards it.