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KhoshtipMan Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
How to recognize ergative verbs
We have some thread on these verbs with CJ, AS and others and this one can be as an compliment for that classification of verbs named ergative!
As a non-English speaker, it's sometimes hard to determine what style of a verb is meant in sentences written/said by native speakers of English. For example, there are ergative verbs in English.
My question is how to determine a given verb in a sentence is an ergative verb or not?
Should I match it with a list of those ergative verbs?
Is there such a list?
As an instance, is evaluate an ergative verb?
As a non-English speaker, it's sometimes hard to determine what style of a verb is meant in sentences written/said by native speakers of English. For example, there are ergative verbs in English.
My question is how to determine a given verb in a sentence is an ergative verb or not?
Should I match it with a list of those ergative verbs?
Is there such a list?
As an instance, is evaluate an ergative verb?
Top answer
As you have looked at other threads on this subject, it would make more sense if you posted this question in one of those threads. There you could specify what part of previous responses you had not understood.
- As you have looked at other threads on this subject, it would make more sense if you posted this question in one of those threads.
- There you could specify what part of previous responses you had not understood.
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29 Answers
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As you have looked at other threads on this subject, it would make more sense if you posted this question in one of those threads. There you could specify what part of previous responses you had not understood.
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KhoshtipManMy question is how to determine a given verb in a sentence is an ergative verb or not?Should I match it with a list of those ergative verbs?"Some verbs can be used as both a transitive verb and an intransitive verb. If the object of the transitive of a verb can be the subject of its intransitive use, such a verb is called "ergative verb". For examp
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@Anon:
Thanks for the explanations.
Facing sentences like "The stone moved.", it can be easy to recognize that "move" is ergative but what about sentences like X evaluates to a Z?
Those 1) and 2) too, are useful. Thanks.
Thanks for the explanations.
Facing sentences like "The stone moved.", it can be easy to recognize that "move" is ergative but what about sentences like X evaluates to a Z?
Those 1) and 2) too, are useful. Thanks.
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KhoshtipManwhat about sentences like X evaluates to a Z?Oof! Who knows. I had lived nearly half a century before I ever heard of ergative verbs, and it was only today that I learned that 'evaluate' is an ergative verb. The fine points of ergative verbs, not to mention unaccusative verbs and many other kinds of verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc., are, in my o
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CalifJimOof! Who knows. I had lived nearly half a century before I ever heard of ergative verbs,
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KhoshtipMansame age as 5jI was exaggerating of course, so you'll have to try again.
CJ
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CalifJimyou'll have to try again.5jj semms to be about 90! And you may be a little younger, because there is no picture of you, I just can guess by your prior talk! OK, 50 years for being familiar with ergative verbs, 35 years for other points of Englsih, I think you are 85 so!!
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It's not generally considered polite to speculate about people's ages in English-speaking societies.
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fivejedjonIt's not generally considered polite to speculate about people's ages in English-speaking societies.I was just kidding dear! Sorry for that anyway. I didn't mean to annoy anyone.
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