Found:
external argument
SYNTAX: argument of a predicate X, which is not contained in the maximal projection of X. In general, this is the subject of a predicate. EXAMPLE: in (i), John is the external argument of the verb buy, and is not part of its maximal projection VP.
(i) John [VP buys books]An argument of a predicate X which is contained in its maximal projection is called the internal argument. In (i) the NP books is the internal argument of the verb buy.
| LIT. | Chomsky, N. (1986a) Chomsky, N. (1981) Williams, E. (1980) |