Re: MNCL5

Argument Structure

Verb Forms

1. typical transitive verb stems: the agentive is used for the agent and the
patientive is used for the patient.

Jonak Toma poncek. - "John hit Tom."

2. ditransitive/trivalent verb stems: the agentive is used for the donor, the
patientive is used for the recipient, and the thematic is used for the 3rd
argument.

Jonak zo cika mexek librok. - "John gave the boy a book."

3. activities: the agentive is used for the actor.

Jonak kore. - "John is running."

4. other divalent verb stems; this includes spatial relations: the patientive is
used for the perceiver etc. and the thematic is used for what's perceived etc.
For some of these, the patientive can be replaced by an agentive with change
of meaning.

Jona videk zo katok. - "John saw the cat."
Jonak videk zo katok. - "John looked at the cat."
Zo kata no husok ce. - "The cat is at the house."

5. relational noun stems: the patientive is used for the possessum and the
thematic is used for the possessor; the verb af- "belong to" also follows this
pattern.

Jona Tomok atune. - "John isn't Tom's father."
Zo hunda Jonok afe. - "The dog belongs to John."

6. other monovalent verb stems: the patientive is used for the subject. For
some of these, the patientive can be replaced by the agentive.

No husa ruye. - "The house is red."
Jona dorme. - "John is sleeping."
Jonak falek. - "John fell (intentionally)."

7. monovalent noun stems: the patientive is used for the subject.

Jona katune. - "John is not a cat."

8. impersonal verb forms: no arguments are used.

To complicate things, some verbs can take additional arguments, but this isn't
well-defined yet.

Non-verb Forms

Non-verb forms have a "subject", which is not expressed, and, if not
monovalent, an "object" (or possessor), which takes the genitive case.

1. typical transitive verb stems: forms not marked for voice are "passive" (i.e.
the subject is the patient and the object the agent). The -m- medial is used
for "active" forms (i.e. the subject is the agent and the object the patient).

2. ditransitive/trivalent verb stems: if the form isn't marked for voice, the
subject is the recipient; the object can be either the donor or the 3rd
argument. If the -m- medial is used, the subject is the donor; the object can
be either the recipient or the 3rd argument. If the -t- medial is used, the
subject is the 3rd argument and the object is the recipient. If the -g- medial is
used, the subject is the 3rd argument and the object is the donor.

3. activities: the subject is the actor.

4. other divalent verb stems: if the form isn't marked for voice, the subject is
the perceiver etc. and the object is what's perceived etc. If the -t- medial is
used, the subject is what's perceived etc. and the object is the perceiver etc.
The -m- medial changes the meaning, as the agentive case does for verb
forms.

5. relational noun stems: if the form isn't marked for voice, the subject is the
possessum and the object is the possessor. The -t- medial inverts the roles.

6. other monovalent verb stems: the subject is the subject. The -m- medial
changes the meaning, as the agentive case does for verb forms.

7. monovalent noun stems: the subject is the subject.

8. impersonal verb forms: there are no non-verb forms, unless an argument is
added (in which case one of the voice medials is used).

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