Ambitransitive verb: Difference between revisions

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An '''ambitransitive verb''' is a verb which can be used either as a [[transitive verb]] or [[intransitive verb]] without any morphological marking of its [[Valenzalternation|valence alternation]].
{{ref}}
An ambitransitive verb is a verb which can be used either as a [[transitive verb]] or [[intransitive verb]] without any morphological marking of its [[Valenzalternation|valence alternation]].


=== Semantic groups ===
=== Semantic groups ===
Line 5: Line 6:
The main semantic groups of verbs which tend to be labile cross-linguistically are:
The main semantic groups of verbs which tend to be labile cross-linguistically are:


1. motion verbs
1. motion verbs
2. destruction verbs
2. destruction verbs
3. phasal verbs
3. phasal verbs (Bulgarian ''zapochvam'' 'begin')
4. sound emission verbs
4. sound emission verbs (Russian ''igrat''' 'play', Bulgarian ''svirja'' 'play', German ''spielen'' 'play', French ''sonner'' 'sound, play')


=== Examples ===
=== Examples ===
English:


English
1) ''Malcolm is reading a book.'' (''read'' is transitive)
 
2) ''Malcolm is reading.'' (''read'' is intransitive)
''Malcolm is reading a book.'' (''read'' is transitive)
 
''Malcolm is reading.'' (''read'' is intransitive)


=== Subtypes ===
=== Subtypes ===
Line 22: Line 21:
==== S/A aligned ambitransitive verbs ====
==== S/A aligned ambitransitive verbs ====


German
German:
 
{|-
|'''''Inge''' liest ein Buch.'' || (transitive ''lesen'' has '''A''' and P)
|-
| ‘Inge is reading a book.’ ||
|-
|}
 
{|-
|'''''Inge''' liest'' || (intransitive ''lesen'' has an '''agent-like''' S)
|-
| ‘Inge is reading.’ ||
|-
|}
 
{|-
| *''Ein Buch liest.'' || (intransitive ''lesen'' cannot take a patient-like S)
|-
| *‘A book is reading.’ ||
|-
|}


3) '''Inge''' liest ein Buch.'' || (transitive ''lesen'' has '''A''' and P)
  ‘Inge is reading a book.’
4) '''Inge''' liest'' || (intransitive ''lesen'' has an '''agent-like''' S)
‘Inge is reading.’ ||
5) *''Ein Buch liest.'' || (intransitive ''lesen'' '''cannot''' take a patient-like S)
  *‘A book is reading.’ ||


==== S/P aligned ambitransitive verbs ====
==== S/P aligned ambitransitive verbs ====


English
English:
 
'''''Carl''' opens the door.'' (transitive ''open'' has A and '''P''')
 
'''''The door''' opens.'' (intransitive ''open'' has a '''patient-like''' S)
 
<nowiki>*</nowiki>''Carl opens.'' (intransitive ''open'' cannot have an agent-like' S)


6) '''Carl''' opens the door.'' (transitive ''open'' has A and '''P''')
7) '''The door''' opens.'' (intransitive ''open'' has a '''patient-like''' S)
8) ''Carl opens.'' (intransitive ''open'' cannot have an agent-like' S)


==== Unaligned ambitransitive verbs ====
==== Unaligned ambitransitive verbs ====


German
German:
 
{|-
|'''''Dietlind''' kocht eine Suppe.'' || (transitive ''kochen'' has '''A''' and P)
|-
| ‘Dietlind is cooking a soup.’ ||
|-
|}
 
{|-
|'''''Dietlind''' kocht.'' || (intransitive ''kochen'' can have an '''agent-like''' S)
|-
| ‘Dietlind is cooking (something).’ ||
|-
|}


{|-
9) '''Dietlind''' kocht eine Suppe.'' || (transitive ''kochen'' has '''A''' and P)
|'''''Die Suppe''' kocht.'' || (intransitive ''kochen'' can have a '''patient-like''' S)
‘Dietlind is cooking a soup.’ ||
|-
10) '''Dietlind''' kocht.'' || (intransitive ''kochen'' can have an '''agent-like''' S)
| ‘The soup is being cooked (by somebody).’ ||
‘Dietlind is cooking (something).’ ||
|-
11) '''Die Suppe''' kocht.'' || (intransitive ''kochen'' can have a '''patient-like''' S)
|}
‘The soup is being cooked (by somebody).’ ||


{{dc}}
{{dc}}
[[Category:Valence]]
[[Category:Valence]]

Latest revision as of 15:20, 3 August 2014

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Please remove this block only when the problem is solved.

An ambitransitive verb is a verb which can be used either as a transitive verb or intransitive verb without any morphological marking of its valence alternation.

Semantic groups

The main semantic groups of verbs which tend to be labile cross-linguistically are: 

1. motion verbs
2. destruction verbs
3. phasal verbs (Bulgarian zapochvam 'begin')
4. sound emission verbs (Russian igrat' 'play', Bulgarian svirja 'play', German spielen 'play', French sonner 'sound, play')

Examples

English: 

1) Malcolm is reading a book. (read is transitive)
2) Malcolm is reading. (read is intransitive)

Subtypes

S/A aligned ambitransitive verbs

German: 

3) Inge liest ein Buch. || (transitive lesen has A and P)
 ‘Inge is reading a book.’ 
4) Inge liest || (intransitive lesen has an agent-like S)
‘Inge is reading.’ ||
5) *Ein Buch liest. || (intransitive lesen cannot take a patient-like S)
 *‘A book is reading.’ ||

S/P aligned ambitransitive verbs

English: 

6) Carl opens the door. (transitive open has A and P)
7) The door opens. (intransitive open has a patient-like S)
8) Carl opens. (intransitive open cannot have an agent-like' S)

Unaligned ambitransitive verbs

German: 

9) Dietlind kocht eine Suppe. || (transitive kochen has A and P)
‘Dietlind is cooking a soup.’ ||
10) Dietlind kocht. || (intransitive kochen can have an agent-like S)
‘Dietlind is cooking (something).’ ||
11) Die Suppe kocht. || (intransitive kochen can have a patient-like S)
‘The soup is being cooked (by somebody).’ ||
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