Universal #1142
Legacy number: 1142
| Number | 1138 |
| Original | The passive-to-ergative change is unidirectional. There are no passive constructions which have been shown to have developed from ergative constructions. |
| Standardized | The passive-to-ergative change is unidirectional. There are no passive constructions which have been shown to have developed from ergative constructions. |
| Keywords | diathesis, passive, alignment, ergative |
| Domain | inflection, syntax |
| Type | target < source |
| Status | diachronic |
| Quality | absolute? |
| Basis | languages surveyed in Estival & Myhill 1988 and 79 languages from the GRAMCATS database (see Haspelmath 1990: 71-72) |
| Source | Estival & Myhill 1988: 445, Haspelmath 1990: 56 |
Discussion
Notes
1. Estival & Myhill 1988: 443: a construction is called passive if: (i) the verbal or deverbal form is intransitive, and is not necessarily derived from a transitive verb. (ii) the argument having the thematic role usually associated with the logical object, i.e. patient or theme, or with either the objects of a ditransitive verb, i.e. patient or beneficiary, bears the same marking as an intransitive subject.(iii) the argument having the thematic role usually associated with the logical transitive subject, i.e. agent or experiencer, if present, is given oblique marking.2. Haspelmath: 1990: 27: a construction is called passive if: (i) the active subject corresponds either to a non-obligatory oblique phrase or to nothing; and (ii) the active direct object (if any) corresponds to the subject of the passive; and (iii) the construction is somehow restricted vis-à-vis another unrestricted construction (the active), e.g. less frequent, functionally specialized, not fully productive. 3. Such a claim has often been made, by stadialists and others.
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<table class = "textTable">
<tr>
<td>(i)</td>
<td> the verbal or deverbal form is intransitive, and is not necessarily derived from a transitive verb.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>(ii)</td>
<td> the argument having the thematic role usually associated with the logical object, i.e. patient or theme, or with either the objects of a ditransitive verb, i.e. patient or beneficiary, bears the same marking as an intransitive subject.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> (iii)</td>
<td> the argument having the thematic role usually associated with the logical transitive subject, i.e. agent or experiencer, if present, is given oblique marking.</td>
</tr>
</table>
2. Haspelmath: 1990: 27: a construction is called passive if:
<table class = "textTable">
<tr>
<td> (i)</td>
<td> the active subject corresponds either to a non-obligatory oblique phrase or to nothing; and </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> (ii)</td>
<td> the active direct object (if any) corresponds to the subject of the passive; and</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> (iii)</td>
<td> the construction is somehow restricted vis-à-vis another unrestricted construction (the active), e.g. less frequent, functionally specialized, not fully productive.</td>
</tr>
</table>
3. Such a claim has often been made, by stadialists and others.