Re: ergative/accusative

I think this is the old Subject, Agent, Patient question.  Afaik, all
five of the possible groupings exist: SAP (ie, no distinction-all the
same case, or no cases at all), SA|P (accusative), S|AP (monster
raving loony), S|A|P (all three distinguished), and SP|A (ergative).

On 1/28/07, Roger Mills <rfmilly@...> wrote:
> Reilly Schlaier wrote:
> > are there any languages (natural or otherwise) that treat agent and object
> > the same?
> > maybe i just havent been paying attention and missed it
> >
> In terms of case marking etc.? How about Engl., French, Italian (nouns only,
> pronouns are marked), at least in active voice (agents are marked by
> prepositions in the passive)
>
> Similary Indonesian/Malay don't distinguish them at all in the active, but
> do in the passive, like Engl. et al.
>
> Likely too, isolating langs. like Chinese, Vietnamese.
>
> Have I misunderstood the question?
>

--
Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>