Re: Question about transitivity/intransitivity
| From: | Nokta Kanto <red5_2@...> |
|---|
| Date: | Thursday, May 29, 2003, 5:30 |
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On Thu, 29 May 2003 01:18:02 -0400, Sally Caves <scaves@...>
wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Sally Caves
>
>
> ABSOLUTE TRANSITIVES.
>
> require a direct object, like "assassinate" or "prefer." A
subcategory of absolute transitives are those that imply an object, like
"eat," or "kill." You can eat an apple, but you can also be eating
(something left implied). That's what your verb is doing. Unaccusatives,
however, can function both as transitives and intransitives: 1) I sink
the ship, 2) I sink down. 3) I melted the ice, 4) the ice melted. Your
verb eat is of the absolute intransitive type with implied object.
This brings to mind some absolute ditransitives that my dad used to misuse
occasionally.
Dad [pointing somewhere]: "Noktakanto, put the thing."
Me: "What thing?"
Dad: "The THING, Noktakanto!"