Universal #79

Legacy number: 79

 Number  79
 Original  Only languages in which passivization involves (a) the complete assumption of the coding properties of the subject by the promoted object (and thus complete loss of its original case-coding), and in addition (b) promotion of non-accusative objects to direct object via dative-shifting results in verb-coding of the semantic case of those objects, will exhibit the direct object-only constraint on passivization.
 Standardized  IF passivization involves (a) the complete assumption of the coding properties of the subject by the promoted object (and thus complete loss of its original case-coding), and in addition (b) promotion of non-accusative objects to direct object via dative-shifting results in verb-coding of the semantic case of those objects, THEN there will be a direct object-only constraint on passivization.
 Keywords  diathesis, passivization, dative-shift, subject, direct object, indirect object, case
 Domain  inflection, syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  languages in Givón 1975
 Source  Givón 1975: 121

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Discussion
Notes
Accusative object in the terminology of Givón means “direct object”, and non-accusative object means “indirect object”.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
Accusative object in the terminology of Givón means "direct object", and non-accusative object means "indirect object".