Re: not un-/anti-passive

On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 12:36 PM, Jeffrey Jones <jsjonesmiami@...>
wrote:

> On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:30:03 +0300, JR <fuscian@...> wrote:
> >
> >On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 4:38 AM, Jeffrey Jones <jsjonesmiami@...>
> >wrote:
> >
> >> In Naisek, there are some grammatical voice prefixes, including a
> causative
> >> and two kinds of passive. Another one adds a dative subject, usually
> >> indicating
> >> a perceiver, to verbs which otherwise have patientive subjects. I had
> first
> >> mistakenly called it an antipassive prefix (I don't know why, except
> that
> >> it is
> >> the opposite of a passive). This was hastily changed to unpassive when I
> >> looked at it later. It turns out that unpassive is also already used for
> >> something else, so I need a new term. Does anybody know?
> >>
> >> Jeff
> >
> >
> > Do I understand correctly that this is used to de-emphasize an
> > already-existing patientive subject, and not to add a new argument?
>
> No, it adds a new argument, although the role of the dative may be
> implicit.
>
> > Does the new dative trigger agreement in the verb (if there is agreement
> at
> > all)?
>
> Yes.
>
> > Can it be used with any verb with a patientive subject? If not, how is
> its
> > range limited?
>
> I think so. I forgot to say it's also used with modal auxiliaries.
>
> > When you say the dative subject "usually" indicates a perceiver, what are
> > the other possibilities?
>
> Someone shaded or rained on, as in examples (1) and (2), and another role I
> don't know the name for in (5).
>
> > Can you give some examples?
>
> Note: ABS = patientive, ERG = agentive
>
> (1) Ho-paldu-bwe.
>    ???-rain.PRS.IND-1NPD
>    "It's raining on us."
> Technically, paldax is impersonal, but there can still be a patientive
> argument.
> (2) Hi korilo su-bwe ho-naus-in.
>    DEF-INA.S.ABS hazel.S.ABS COP.PRS.IND-1NPD ???-shade-VN
>    "The hazel shades us."
> (The COP copula + VN verbal noun construction = habitual aspect.)
> (3) T-a-m matse t-i ho-jad-en-ti xiskw-e.
>    3-ANI.S-GEN mother.S.DAT 3-INA.S.ABS ???-seem-FUT.IND-3SD terrible-
> SPO
>    "It will seem terrible to her mother."
> (4) Ho-laun-os-t-ki gaut-a daxme tep nu.
>    ???-beautiful-CMP-VRB-1SD NUL-ANI.S.ABS woman.S.ABS than 2S.ABS
>    "There's no woman more beautiful to me than you."
> (5) T-i juku ho-laip-ti-twe.
>    3-INA.S.ABS very ???-easy-VRB-3PD
>    "It's very easy for them."
> (6) Johanna-i ho-bof-ti lo Tomas-a disp-ax-ta.
>    Joan-DAT ???-modal.PRS.IND-3SD CPL Tom-ERG dance-SUB-3SE
>    "Joan thinks Tom should dance."


So far it looks like a circumstantial voice, like that of Malagasy ...
though differing in the specifics. Can you give the "normal" versions of a
few of these sentences, though, without using the construction in question?
Say, numbers 1, 2, and 6. And what's the meaning of the modal in 6?

Josh