Universal #1584

Legacy number: 1584

 Number  1580
 Original  If a language has several causative affixes, the means for deriving causatives from intransitives are more varied than those for forming causatives from transitive verbs.
 Standardized  IF there are several causative affixes, THEN the means for deriving causatives from intransitives are more varied than those for forming causatives from transitive verbs.
 Keywords  causative morpheme, causative verb, intransitive verb, transitive verb
 Domain  morphology, syntax
 Type  no genuine implication; rather: provided that
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  languages mentioned in Nedjalkov & Sil'nickij 1969, Nedjalkov & Sil'nickij 1973
 Source  Nedjalkov & Sil'nickij 1969: 26, Nedjalkov & Sil'nickij 1973: 8

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Discussion
Notes
1. In ancient Telugu (Dravidian), for example, causatives are derived from intransitives by means of five suffixes (-pu, -cu, -ncu, -ccu, -incu), and from transitives by means of two (-incu, -(i)pincu). In Yakut (Turkic), causatives are derived from intransitives by means of four suffixes (-ar, - yar, -t, -tar) and from transitives by means of two (-tar, -t). Hungarian (Ugric, Uralic) has nine and two suffixes, respectively, and in Komi (Permic, Finnic, Uralic) we have two and one.2. This fact indicates that the derivation of causatives from transitives is secondary and evidently appeared later than the formation of causatives from intransitives. (Nedjalkov & Sil’nickij 1969: 26, 1973: 8)
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. In ancient Telugu (Dravidian), for example, causatives are derived from intransitives by means of five suffixes (-pu, -cu, -ncu, -ccu, -incu), and from transitives by means of two (-incu, -(i)pincu). In Yakut (Turkic), causatives are derived from intransitives by means of four suffixes (-ar, - yar, -t, -tar) and from transitives by means of two (-tar, -t). Hungarian (Ugric, Uralic) has nine and two suffixes, respectively, and in Komi (Permic, Finnic, Uralic) we have two and one.

2. This fact indicates that the derivation of causatives from transitives is secondary and evidently appeared later than the formation of causatives from intransitives. (Nedjalkov & Sil'nickij 1969: 26, 1973: 8)