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Re: ergative/accusative

From:<morphemeaddict@...>
Date:Sunday, January 28, 2007, 9:29
In a message dated 1/27/2007 8:10:36 PM Central Standard Time,
schlaier@SBCGLOBAL.NET writes:


> are there any languages (natural or otherwise) that treat agent and object > the same? > maybe i just havent been paying attention and missed it >
What kind of object? My understanding is that accusative languages usually mark the direct object while leaving the subject unmarked. In ergative languages the patient is usually unmarked, whether it's subject or direct object, and the agent is marked. So, is your object an indirect object, a patient, a focus, or what? stevo