Re: active vs. semantic marking languages (was: Re: Noun tense)

On Wednesday 24 July 2002 10:12, Daniel Andreasson Vpc wrote:

> Aha. Interesting. So in Enamyn, like in Lakhota, does
> it suffice if the argument in some way performs, instigates
> or effects the event or does he need to be in control to
> be marked as agent?
>
> What I'm getting at is that predicates like sneeze and
> cough and the like aren't actually controlled, but in some
> languages (like in Lakhota) they mark their argument as
> agent.
        Involuntary actions or those instigated outside of one's will generally
require the patient. Although one can control a sneeze, it usually originates
outside of one's will, so it would take the patient. However, if someone
deliberately coughed (*cough* "That's _my_ wife you're talking to...") then
it would take the agent.
        So, for the most part Enamyn follows the semantic meaning of the verb, unless
intentionality (or lack thereof) is evident on the part of the agent/patient.
        :Peter