비총칭적 중간동사와 능격동사

A Difference between Non-generically Interpreted Middles and Ergatives

There are a wide range of syntactic variations between middle verbs and ergative verbs, based on tense, aspect, mood, or the presence or absence of adverbs. These variations are likely to arise from the discourse context in which each verb is involved. This article suggests that there should be a generically interpreted middle constructions and non-generically interpreted middle constructions. The former contains the aspectual features [+state, +progressive, +repetitive], while the latter [-state, +progressive, -repetitive]. Both share [+progressive]. Also the subject of the former non-definite, while that of the latter definite. Among a variety of characteristics, we can find many similar points between nongenerically interpreted middle constructions and ergative constructions. That means that both resemble each other in including definite subjects, taking past tense and progressive aspect, and selecting adverb and adverbial phrases optionally, But the difference takes place in a composition of aspectual features. Ergative verbs include [-state, -progressive, -repetitive] differently from non-generically interpreted middle verbs.