Ergative Verbs

 Ergative Verbs

 

Ergative verbs are both transitive and intransitive.

The object when it is transitive is the same as the subject when it is intransitive:

I boiled some water.

Transitive: N + V + N

The water boiled.

Intransitive: N + V     

____

 

Ergative verbs are found in sentences where the verb affects the subject:

 

The sun melted the butter.

 

Here, we have a sentence with a standard subject, a transitive verb and a direct object.

 

The butter melted.

 

Here, the subject was the object of the original sentence.

 

The butter didn't melt itself- it required the heat of the sun.

 

This is an ergative verb use, where the subject of the intransitive form of the verb would be the object of the transitive form of the verb.

 

 Common ergative verbs are:

·         begin

·         break

·         change

·         close

·         crack

·         drop

·         dry

·         end

·         finish

·         grow

·         improve

·         increase

·         move

·         open

·         shake

·         start

·         stop

·         tear

·         turn

 Verbs to do with cooking are often ergative:

·         bake

·         boil

·         cook

·         defrost

·         freeze

·         melt

·         roast

Verbs to do with vehicles are often ergative:

·         back

·         crash

·         drive

·         fly

·         stop

·         reverse

·         run

·         sail

·         start