Talk:Voice (grammatical)

Perhaps this is irrelevant here, but English passives are odd. Although it is undoubtedly true that only transitive verbs can have a passive voice it is possible in English to make an INDIRECT object the subject of a passive verb.

e.g. I read the children a story every night can produce The children are read a story every night

She has been telling me the same lies for years can produce I have been told the same lies for years

They gave Peter a new bicycle can produce Peter was given a new bicycle

The form reveals that these verbs are clearly passive, but they have direct objects as well.

Is there any other language that can do that?

I thought I'd answered this; but probably didn't save it.  Here goes again...

Finally, I've got to the end of 16th April's changes - I've been away in the south on grandpa duty for a week, and have only just resumed with this website. Thank you - whoever you are! - curiosity naturally kicks in with an unknown contributor. I'd love to know who you are, and whether you are in Hull Uni; if not, how you came across AWE. Your interest in language is sensible - blessedly so - and I'm always keen to know like-minded people. You could always write a "User:AlOGrady" page.

On the main point of this posting: English passives are odd. I seem top recall that Quirk ([[1]]) deals with passives with Indirect Objects, but can't trace it at present. This may yet turn into a page of AWE; but I will not put it in on the @Voice' page as it is, because it is more complex than necessary; it is already, feel, at least partly dealt with by the last paragraph, even if only hintingly; and one of my design principles for AWE is that we should try to keep all 'pages' to a maximum of one screen, for practical and pedagogic reasons. I trust you approve!

PeterWilson 21:19, 22 April 2008 (BST)