Transitivity
1 min read · 68 words
There are two strategies used in Kalavan Baoran to change the transitivity of verbs.
The dummy pronoun "ba," from the uninflected form of the 3rd person singular pronoun, can be used to turn a transitive verb into an intransitive one.
Kaba
C.2-3rd.SG.ERG
ba
3rd.SG
'o'a.
promise.PST
‘He promised [it].’
The suffix "-li," from the verb "kili" (to cause), can be added onto intransitive verbs to turn them into transitive ones, usually with a slight change in meaning.
A
1st.SG.ERG
kwimruke
C.3-pigeon-GEN
'amano
C.10.ABS-egg
mgamali.
hatch-CAUS
‘I hatch the pigeon's egg.’