Re: Antipassive

BP Jonsson wrote:
>
> Can someone please explain to me WTH an antipassive does?
Antipassives exist in languages with ergativity.  An antipassive
converts the ergative into an absolutive.  It is used if the verb has no
patient, or to focus on the agent, in much the same way that passives
are used when there is no agent or to focus on patient.  For instance,
from Uatakassí:
Fakapátas nlakúsal natassáma
Hit-past  man-erg  brother-his-abs
"The man hit his brother"
Sufkapátas  nlakús
Hit-AP-past man-abs
"The man hit [someone or something]"
OR
Faguatiátas ku  sufkapátas  nlakús  pikaatúli
Fell        and Hit-AP-past man-abs rock-inst (instr is used for patient
in an AP)
"The man fell and hit a rock"
Antipassive is used so that both verbs may agree with the same word,
namely "Man".  One *could* say:
Faguatiátas nlakús  ku  fakapál  nísnal pikaatú
Fell        man-abs and hit-past he-erg rock
"The man fell and he hit a rock"
But that would sound awkard, as the subject of the verb (that is, the
noun in the absolutive) changes from "man" to "rock".

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