Advances in Role and Reference Grammar

(singke) #1

332 LAURA Α. MICHAELIS


undergoer. The behavior of the passive in Latin provides support for the
argument that the choice of pivot in Latin "is not strictly semantically deter­
mined but is in part discourse determined" (Foley & Van Valin 1984). The
use of passive to promote an undergoer to subject position is exemplified in
(22a') and (25'):
(22) a'. Sedarbitror sustineri remos, cum inhibere
but (I)believe be-held-back(iNF) oars(A) when inhibit(iNF)
essent remiges iussi.
were oarsmen(N) ordered(iNF)
"But I had believed that the oars were held back when the
oarsmen were given the order to inhibit." Cic. Att. 13,21,3
(25) a'. Naves... sexaginta tres inportu expugnatae
ships(N) sixty-three in port(Aß) attacked(N) and
captaeque quaedam cum suis oneribus,
captured(N) some(N) with their(Aß) cargoes(Aß):
frumento, armis...
wheat(Aß) arms(Aß)
"Sixty-three ships were attacked and captured in port, some
with their cargoes — wheat, arms..." Liv. 26,47,9
b'. Templa iubet fieri Veneri.
temples(N) (she)orders be-made(iNF) Venus(ö)
"She ordered temples to be built to Venus." Ov. Fast. 4,159
c'. ...fierique studebam eius prudentia
become(iNF) and (I)endeavored he(G) wisdom(Aß)
doctior.
wiser
"...and I endeavored to become more learned by his wis­
dom." Cic. Lael. 1,1
d'. Dominus navibus Massiliam pervenit atque ab
Domitius(N) ships(Aß) Massilia(A) arrives and by
eis urbi praeficitur.
they(Aß) city(ö) is-installed
"Domitius reaches Massilia by ship and is placed in com­
mand of the city by them [the inhabitants]." Caes. B.C. 1,36
Sentence (22a') demonstrates that accusative-infinitive complements of
verba sentiendi ac declarandi allow undergoers to function as pivots — that
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