Universal #1152

Legacy number: 1152

 Number  1148
 Original  If a language presents basic passives then it always passivizes ‘give’, ‘show’, etc. in such a way that the derived subject is the Patient of the active verb. Passives in which the Recipient is the subject may or may not exist.
 Standardized  IF there is a basic passive, THEN ditransitive verbs (e.g. ‘give’, ‘show’) are passivized in such a way that the derived subject is the Patient of the active verb.
 Keywords  diathesis, passive, ditransitive verb, patient
 Domain  inflection, syntax
 Type  no genuine implication; rather: provided that
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  languages in Keenan 1985a
 Source  Keenan 1985a: 277

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Discussion
Notes
Basic passives. Main features:(i) no agent phrase is present,(ii) the main verb (in its non-passive form) is transitive,(iii) the main verb expresses an activity, taking agent subjects and patient objects.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
Basic passives. Main features:

(i) no agent phrase is present,
(ii) the main verb (in its non-passive form) is transitive,
(iii) the main verb expresses an activity, taking agent subjects and patient objects.