Re: A Survey

On Mon, Sep 29, 2003 at 11:41:45PM -0400, Rob Haden wrote:
> 1. Does your language(s) distinguish between active ("X breaks Y"), middle
> ("X breaks (apart)"), and passive ("X is broken (by Y)")?
Yup.

> 2. If the answer to #1 was "yes," what method(s) does your language(s) use
> to make some/all of the above distinctions?
In both Okaikiar and Methkaeki, middle = intransitive is indicated by the lack
of an object (which, in Methkaeki, includes the lack of a personal object
prefix) on a verb which is ordinarily transitive.   In both languages,
passive voice is indicated by the insertion of a marker morpheme.

Man, I need to make some new languages and do this stuff differently. :)


ENGLISH                     OKAIKIAR                    METHKAEKI
X breaks Y                  X-Ar Y-Ard 'lIlk.mOrm.      X Y dZId.ZOnd'lu.pIv.
X breaks                    X-Ar 'lIlk.mOrm.            X dZId'lu.pIv.
X is broken                 X-Ar 'lIl.kI,mOrm.          X dZId'lu.pI.vIg.
X is broken by Y:
(because of Y's actions     X-Ar Y-Ur 'lIl.kI,mOrm.     X dZId'lu.pI.vig gAj-Y.
(using Y as instrument)     X-Ar Y-Urd 'lIl.kI,mOrm.    X dZId'lu.pI.vIg Zo-Y.

-Mark