ATLAS OF LANGUAGE

AT-NAV-G05-026 · ATLAS 259

Transitivity

In syntactic analysis, transitivity often concerns a predicate's combination with a subject and an object.

Part of the subject path Syntax and Grammar

Why is this entry in the Atlas?

G · Foundational concept R2 · Necessary foundation

Transitivity is needed to connect participant structure and grammatical realisation with voice. Syntactic object-taking and semantic degrees of transitivity must be labelled as different models.

Colours and admission grounds

The rectangular label identifies the entry function: F – linguistic figure or procedure; A – analytical concept; G – foundational concept; E – selected concrete case. The rounded badge indicates the admission ground: R1 – distinctive contribution; R2 – necessary foundation; R3 – justified illustrative case. This editorial rationale explains the current selection rather than claiming an undocumented original selection history.

Explanation

In syntactic analysis, transitivity often concerns a predicate's combination with a subject and an object. Semantic approaches instead examine a bundle of properties, such as participant number, affectedness and event character. These uses must remain explicit: a syntactically transitive clause need not describe a forceful action changing an object. Object marking and argument expression may also vary by construction. In connection with ergativity, incorporation and differential object marking, precise comparison criteria are therefore essential. Counting all complements or all people mentioned does not by itself provide a reliable transitivity analysis.

Movement of thought

1. Specify the analytical sense. 2. Identify core arguments. 3. Examine the construction. 4. Record semantic properties separately. 5. Compare alternations.

Scientific use case

Cross-linguistic research can record object marking independently of semantic affectedness.

Example

“Mira knows the route” is syntactically transitive although knowing does not change the route.

Counterexample

A location expression alongside a subject does not automatically make an intransitive verb transitive.

Distinction

Distinguish syntactic transitivity from semantic affectedness, valency in general and mere word count.

Effect on thought and perception

Transitivity connects argument structure with explicitly chosen comparison dimensions.

Resonance

Two participants do not always stand in the same kind of relation.

Provenance

Parallel corpus 98f0950771ae4662f291d2f15f5c51b6797f3c20ba458a68615cdb177002ea18; case-bounded source review accepted; human specialist review not claimed.

Cite this entry

Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Transitivity“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-NAV-G05-026. ATLAS 259, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-NAV-G05-026

https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-NAV-G05-026

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