li [Alain Lemaire] mi tulis la
> English has a distinct way of using the passive voice.
> Normally, it is used
> to stress the patient of the action:
Some examples in Sasxsek, which has similar usage:
> He hits the ball - the ball was hit (by him).
lo bit top \ top bituf (u lo).
he hit ball \ ball hit-{passive/patient} ({acc.} him).
> But it can also be used with objects that go with a preposition:
>
> He walks over the bridge - the bridge is walked over.
lo podxven su wap \ wap supodxvenuf.
he foot-go via bridge \ bridge via-foot-go-{passive/patient}
> He looked at me - I was being looked at.
lo mi tuvid mo \ mo mi tuviduf.
he before at-see me \ I before at-see-{passive/patient}
"mo mi tuviduf" can also mean "I was a thing which is/was
looked at".
> Are there other languages which have this use of the passive
> voice? How do
> they form them - and what are the restrictions?
In Sasxsek, "-uf" is the passive/patient suffix. It can also take the
adjectival form "-ufi" to become a passive participle whereas "-umi"
("-um" = actor) would be the active form and "-i" (adj.) would be an
unspecified version.
[note: "-um" and "-umi" are likely to be changed soon to "-e" and
"-eri"]
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