Universal #1145

Legacy number: 1145

 Number  1141
 Original  The most frequent type of a passive construction is that with a stem affix.
Less frequent morphological expression types are auxiliary verbs, particles, extra-inflectional affixes, differential subject person markers, alternate stem affixes, sound replacement, infixes, circumfixes.
 Standardized  IF there is a passive construction, THEN most commonly it will be expressed with a stem affix.
 Keywords  diathesis, voice
 Domain  inflection, syntax
 Type  no genuine implication; rather: provided that
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  79 languages from the GRAMCATS database, see Haspelmath 1990: 71-72
 Source  Haspelmath 1990: 32

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Discussion
Notes
1. “Stem affix” means that the affix is attached directly to the verb stem, inside aspect, tense, and person markers.2. See also ##416, 417.3. 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.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. 'Stem affix' means that the affix is attached directly to the verb stem, inside aspect, tense, and person markers.

2. See also <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=416"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">, <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=417"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">.

3. 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>