Re: German voice: dative -> nominative: name?

Henrik Theiling scripsit:

> ? voice:
>    Du       kriegst von mir den Text      erklärt.
>    You-NOM  get     by me   the Text-ACC  explained.
>                \--------------------------/
>                explain-??VOICE-PRES/IND/2s
>    ?'You are explained the text by me.'
This sounds like what traditionally was called the false passive
in English:

active:  John gave the boy the book.
passive: The book was given to the boy (by John).
false passive: The boy was given the book (by John).

The term "false" of course means that it didn't fit Latin grammar:
Latin can't passivize a ditransitive verb by promoting the IO.

--
John Cowan  jcowan@reutershealth.com  www.ccil.org/~cowan
Female celebrity stalker, on a hot morning in Cairo:
"Imagine, Colonel Lawrence, ninety-two already!"
El Auruns's reply:  "Many happy returns of the day!"

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