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Lesson 58: Passive Voice |
Heretofore, we've been discussing the Active Voice, which is characterized by the Subject being the actor (or Agent) of the verb; the Object is the one receiving the action (or the Patient) of the verb. The Passive Voice is different; the Object from the Active Voice becomes the Subject in the Passive Voice. The Subject from the Active Voice can be included in an optional Agentive case phrase.
In Láadan's Passive Voice, two things occur gramatically. One, the Patient (the Object from the Active sentence) is moved before the verb; it retains its Object case marker. The Agent (the Subject from the Active sentence) remains in its place after the verb (and after the negative, if one is present). Two, the word "shub" (to do) is attached to the Agent. In the event that no Agent is identified in the Passive sentence, the word "shub" (to do) is attached directly to the verb.
Regarding Suzette Haden Elgin's motivation for this radical departure from standard Láadan word order, we have the following statement:
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My goal is to make the passive sentence appear markedly different from the active one; if a nominal carrying the Object case-marker is placed before the verb, I will have accomplished that goal. [...] Just seeing that Object-marked nominal before the verb will forcibly signal that the sentence is a passive. |
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adama |
to tickle [ada (laugh) + dama (touch)] |
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déedan |
to interpret |
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dithal |
to praise [di (speak) + thal (be good)] |
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dóho |
to wrap [dó- (cause to) + o (around)] {YML} |
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dóyom |
to protect; to shield; to safeguard [dó- (cause to) + yom (be safe)] {AB} |
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éholob |
threat; to threaten (lit: potential trauma) [é- (potential) + olob (trauma; blow)] |
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héda |
to drop; to spill; to let fall |
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héedan |
to translate |
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humesh |
to cut [hum (knife) + mesh (across)] {SH} |
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róo |
harvest; to harvest |
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Bíi yod rul thilith wa. |
The cat is eating a fish. |
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Bíi thilith yod ruleshub wa. |
A fish is being eaten by the cat. |
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Bíi thilith yodeshub wa. |
A fish is being eaten. |
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Bíi aril lamith Méri losheth wáa. |
Mary wlll count the money. |
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Bíi aril losheth lamith Merí beshub wáa. |
The money will be counted by Mary. |
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Bíi aril losheth lamitheshub wáa. |
The money will be counted. |
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Báa eril éholob ra Ánetheni Méri beth? |
Didn't Anthony threaten Mary? |
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Báa eril Méri beth éholob ra Ánetheni beshub? |
Wasn't Mary threatened by Anthony? |
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Báa eril Méri beth éholobeshub ra? |
Wasn't Mary threatened? |
1 |
Bíi eril ruleth bóodan háawitheshub wáa. |
2 |
Bíi mewohéeda wothodeth medéedan wíithameshub wa. |
3 |
Bée rilrili ranath hédashub! |
4 |
Báa eril medath mehumesh anadaláshub? |
5 |
Bíide eríli huth dithaleshub wáa. |
6 |
Bíi eril mehim len memazhenanehéeth mezheláad olowodeshub wa. |
Note, in #2 and #4, that the verb becomes plural with the Patient (the Object of the underlying Active sentence), that acts as the Subject of the Passive sentence.
Of course you had no difficulty in #4 with the word "anadalá" (cook) [anadal (meal) +
#6 is a bit advanced. The Patient (what would have been the Object of the Active sentence) is an embedded question, "mehim len memazhenanehée" (whether we travel by train).
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Bíi dóyom thul betha áwitheth abeshede wi. |
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8 |
Bíidi eril el edaná dáaneth édáanewáan wa. |
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9 |
Bíili eril dóho wehehá binith nada wa. |
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10 |
Bíi aril mehéedan ehá wobalin woháabeth Láadanedi wáa. |
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11 |
Bíi ril loláad with wéhenáth lóda rawáan wo. |
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12 |
Bíi ril mezhelith nan eril adama Shósho háawithid méeshewanehé wa. |
13 |
Bread is given to Elizabeth by the baker because of friendliness (for bad reasons). |
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14 |
The dancer was threatened by me (and I despise myself for it). |
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15 |
The grain is harvested (every year, by analogy to nature). |
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16 |
Was your uncle met by your sister at the airport yesterday? |
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17 |
The quality of her needleworking may be helped by competition. |
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18 |
Will the kittens that are living under her house be cared for? |
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1 |
The cat was rescued by the child. |
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2 |
The sacred writings are interpreted by the clergy. |
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3 |
[warning] The drink may be spilled! |
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4 |
Were the vegetables cut by the cook? |
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5 |
[story] Long ago the ruler was praised. |
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6 |
Whether we (many) would travel by train was consensed to by the group. --or-- It was consensed to by the group whether we (many) would travel by train. |
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7 |
Of course her parent protects a baby from everything. Bíi áwitheth dóyom thul bethashub abeshede wi. Of course a baby is protected from everything by her parent. Bíi áwitheth dóyomeshub abeshede wi. Of course a baby is protected from everything. |
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8 |
Bíidi eril dáaneth el edanáshub édáanewáan wa. [didactic] The word was created by the linguist because of a lexical gap. Bíidi eril dáaneth eleshub édáanewáan wa. [didactic] The word was created because of a lexical gap. |
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9 |
[with love] The storekeeper wrapped the gift for you (beloved). Bíili eril binith dóho weheháshub nada wa. [with love] The gift was wrapped for you (beloved) by the storekeeper. Bíili eril binith dóhoshub nada wa. [with love] The gift was wrapped for you (beloved). |
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10 |
The scientists will translate the antique book into Láadan. Bíi aril wobalin woháabeth héedan eháshub Láadanedi wáa. The antique book will be translated into Láadan by the scientists. Bíi aril wobalin woháabeth héedaneshub Láadanedi wáa. The antique book will be translated into Láadan. |
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11 |
The woman feels gratitude (despite negative circumstances) in spite of being wearily pregnant (I suppose). Bíi ril wéhenáth loláad witheshub lóda rawáan wo. Gratitude (despite negative circumstances) is felt by the woman in spite of being wearily pregnant (I suppose). Bíi ril wéhenáth loláadeshub lóda rawáan wo. Gratitude (despite negative circumstances) is felt in spite of being wearily pregnant (I suppose). |
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12 |
You (many, beloved) agree-in-thought that Magic Granny tickled the boy with an eye to pleasure (with pleasure as her purpose). Bíi ril eril adama Shósho háawithid méeshewanehéth mezhelith naneshub wa. That Magic Granny tickled the boy with an eye to pleasure is agreed-in-thought by you (many, beloved). --or-- It is agreed-in-thought that Magic Granny tickled the boy with an eye to pleasure. Bíi ril eril adama Shósho háawithid meéshewanehéth mezhelitheshub wa. That Magic Granny tickled the boy with an eye to pleasure is agreed-in-thought. --or-- It is agreed-in-thought that Magic Granny tickled the boy with an eye to pleasure. |
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13 |
Bíi baleth ban ebaláshub Elízhabeth bedi dunawáan wáa. |
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14 |
Bíi eril amedaraháth éholob lheleshub wa. |
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15 |
Bíi edeth róoshub bradan wa. |
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16 |
Báa eril berídanid nethath bithim hena nethashub hozhazheha sháaleya eril? |
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17 |
Bíi rilrili thal dathimethu bethoth den halideshub wa. |
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18 |
Báa aril ril mehabelid háarul belid bethoha yileháath menayashub? |