Re: ergative? I don't know...

Clinton Moreland-Stringham wrote:
>         it would be "He-AGT fell" or "He-PAT fell". Either one would work,
> but with differing degrees of agentness. The first might be used of a
> skydiver, who fell with premeditation, while the second would just be joe
> schmoe falling on purpose. Unless y'all can suggest a better difference.
Yeah, this definitely looks like an active system.  Here's a question,
for "he fell", if he didn't fall on purpose, but he could have prevented
it (i.e., it was due to his own carelessness), would it still be
patient, or would it be agent?

Some languages use the terms undergoer and undertaker for such an active
system.

--
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was hanged." - Irish proverb
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