Valency-Changing Operations

Question 1

Languages make intransitive verbs transitive by…

Answer 1

…adding one argument

Question 2

Languages make transitive verbs intransitive by….

Answer 2

…removing one argument

Question 3

What are the two valency-changing processes that add an argument?

Answer 3

Applicatives and causatives

Question 4

What are the two valency-changing processes that remove an argument?

Answer 4

Antipassive and passive

Question 5

What valency changing process is this?
S –> A [S] + P (adding patient)

Answer 5

Applicative

Question 6

What valency changing process is this?
S –> A + P[S] (adding agent)

Answer 6

Causative

Question 7

What valency changing process is this?
A + P –> S[A] (removing patient)

Answer 7

Antipassive

Question 8

What valency changing process is this?
A + P –> S[P]

Answer 8

Passive

Question 9

What does the passive voice do?

Answer 9

Passive (voice) removes A argument and turns P into S

Question 10

What does the antipassive voice do?

Answer 10

Antipassive (voice) removes P argument and turns A into S

Question 11

What does the causative voice do?

Answer 11

Add an A argument and turns S into P

Question 12

What does the applicative voice do?

Answer 12

Add a P argument and turn S into A

Question 13

Describe nominative pivot

Answer 13

When subject is omitted, its interpreted as S

The dog chased the cat and [he] tripped
–> ‘he’ is interpreted as the dog

Question 14

Describe absolutive pivot

Answer 14

When subject is omitted, P is interpreted as S

The dog chased the cat and [he] tripped
–> ‘he’ is interpreted as the cat