"Some people {murder/lynch/assassinate/massacre/execute} easily."

I'm not sure I fully understand your question.
The phrase you're giving us has : subject + verb + adverb.
'Some people' is the subject, not the object.
Meaning that those people we're talking about would be the ones committing murder/assassination/...
They would be the killers, not the victims.
Have I answered your question ?
Waïti.

3.

I'd interpret it as "some people". In fact, "some killers" fits, but not in every situation. Some people may murder easily, but they might not have committed a crime yet. Do you get what I mean? Until they have committed the crime, they can't be called "killers".

There's just a slight differnece. Just my two cents though.

[Y]

Waïti
I'm not sure I fully understand your question.
The phrase you're giving us has : subject + verb + adverb.
'Some people' is the subject, not the object.
Meaning that those people we're talking about would be the ones committing murder/assassination/...
They would be the killers, not the victims.
Have I answered your question ?
Waïti.

YoHf3.

I'd interpret it as "some people". In fact, "some killers" fits, but not in every situation. Some people may murder easily, but they might not have committed a crime yet. Do you get what I mean? Until they have committed the crime, they can't be called "killers".

There's just a slight differnece. Just my two cents though.

[Y]

Is see what you mean in your original question when you ask whether we could see 'some people' as the victims.

You are thinking of a similar meaning as 'some vegetables cook easily' as the vegetables are being cooked, not doing the cooking.

I still would interpret the 'some people' as the murderers etc rather than the victims in this context though.

Thanks Nona... I too would not interpret any of the above verbs as the 'passive' form.
Is there a general rule that says when a verb can be used as both the active and passive form (as in 'cook' used for 'being cooked') ?
Or is it just common usage that tells ?
Waïti.

I think it is just a case of knowing the common usage.

1. "Some people murder easily."

– Tourist emerging from the Old Bailey, shaking his head. "Some people" = the murderers.

2. "Some people murder easy."

– Voice-over at the beginning of a film noir. "Some people" = the victims. (Or should that be "murderees"?)

MrP

MrPedantic1. "Some people murder easily."

– Tourist emerging from the Old Bailey, shaking his head. "Some people" = the murderers.

2. "Some people murder easy."

– Voice-over at the beginning of a film noir. "Some people" = the victims. (Or should that be "murderees"?)

MrP

So for you, "some people murder easily" ca

The context of the surrounding sentences would probably remove any ambiguity. Without it, I read it as some killers murder easily. That said, it could just as easily be read as some victims are murdered easily.