Book contents
- Bivalency and Intransitivity
- Series page
- Bivalency and Intransitivity
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- 1Introduction
- 2Antipassives in Yup’ik and Inuit
- 3The Syntax of the Antipassive
- 4Voice and v in Salish
- 5Antipassive, Applicative, Causative
- 6Reflexive Antipassives
- 7Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
5 - Antipassive, Applicative, Causative
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 July 2026
Book contents
- Bivalency and Intransitivity
- Series page
- Bivalency and Intransitivity
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- 1Introduction
- 2Antipassives in Yup’ik and Inuit
- 3The Syntax of the Antipassive
- 4Voice and v in Salish
- 5Antipassive, Applicative, Causative
- 6Reflexive Antipassives
- 7Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
This chapter explores antipassive, applicative, and causative interactions. In many languages, an antipassivized verb can appear with applicative morphology, with the original direct object demoted to an oblique and the applied argument in absolutive position. In these clauses, antipassive morphology appears closer to the verb than applicative morphology. In these cases, antipassive morphology is analyzed as an athematic Voice head that licenses the complement of the verb but does not introduce an argument. Furthermore, there appear to be two positions for applicative morphology in Central Alaskan Yup’ik, one that merges with the root and affects argument structure and another that merges higher, with a vP, and introduces a non-selected event participant, such as a benefactive/malefactive or comitative. The chapter then turns to antipassive, applicative, and causative interactions in the Australian languages Yidiɲ (data from Dixon 1977) and Diyari (data from Austin 2021). In both languages, overt causative and applicative morphology is the exponence of an empty v head in the presence Voice.
Keywords
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Bivalency and IntransitivityAntipassives and the Syntax of Voice, pp. 167 - 208Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.1 AA
Why this information is here
This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.Accessibility Information
The HTML of this chapter complies with version 2.1 of the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG), covering newer accessibility requirements and improved
user experiences and achieves the intermediate
(AA)
level of WCAG compliance, covering a wider range of accessibility requirements.
Content Navigation
Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Reading Order & Textual Equivalents
Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
Short alternative textual descriptions
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
Full alternative textual descriptions
You get more than just short alt text: you have comprehensive text equivalents, transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions for substantial non‐text content, which is especially helpful for complex visuals or multimedia.
You get more than just short alt text: you have comprehensive text equivalents, transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions for substantial non‐text content, which is especially helpful for complex visuals or multimedia.
Visual Accessibility
Use of colour is not sole means of conveying information
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
Structural and Technical Features
ARIA roles provided
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.