Re: Antipassive

> From: BP Jonsson
>
> Can someone please explain to me WTH an antipassive does?
An antipassive construction is valence decreasing operation that gives
topical prominence to the agent while rendering the patient either
unexpressed or obliquely referenced. It is often required in order to meet
pivot constraints on coordination and subordination of clauses in ergative
languages.

Active                          -- The tiger killed an eagle.
Antipassive (patient implied)   -- The tiger killed.
Antipassive (patient expressed) -- The tiger killed, an eagle.

These English examples are approximations, as English does not have an
Antipassive form.

Stay curious,
David

David E. Bell
The Gray Wizard
www.graywizard.net

Wisdom begins in wonder.

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