Do you use notional passives, such as the ones below, in your variant of English?
This book reads well.
This shirt irons easily.
The cake should cook slowly.
This book reads well.
This shirt irons easily.
The cake should cook slowly.
Notional passives
Sorry, a notional passive is one which is active in form and passive in meaning.
All these expressions sound fine, and all, except the last one, are heard quite often.
There is nothing wrong with the last expression.
There is nothing wrong with the last expression.
There is no such thing as a "notional passive" in English so why introduce such a concept?
<There is no such thing as a "notional passive" in English so why introduce such a concept? >
Where on earth did you here that?
Where on earth did you here that?
<There is no such thing as a "notional passive" in English so why introduce such a concept? >
How then would you describe the above examples, 12HC?
How then would you describe the above examples, 12HC?
<They're quite clearly active voice. >
If you need a basic grammar course, please let me know.
If you need a basic grammar course, please let me know.
Does anyone here, apart from Pos and myself , understand this?
"Active in form, but passive in meaning."
"Active in form, but passive in meaning."
"Active in form, but passive in meaning"
Lovely idea, useless concept.
Might I suggest you call it "anti-deponent" to give it that pompous Latin grammar touch?
Lovely idea, useless concept.
Might I suggest you call it "anti-deponent" to give it that pompous Latin grammar touch?
<Lovely idea, useless concept. >
Really? Students seem to find it very useful.
So, how do you explain to students that the sentences above are active in form and passive in meaning? Or do you think that they are active in form and meaning?
Really? Students seem to find it very useful.
So, how do you explain to students that the sentences above are active in form and passive in meaning? Or do you think that they are active in form and meaning?
OK... if active in form and active in meaning, what does this mean?
The shirt washes easily.
If the active voice places the subject (agent/doer of the action) first and the object (the one/thing who/that the action affects) after the verb, as above, does the sentence mean that the shirt (SUBJECT) washes itself (OBJECT) and does so with ease?
Or does it mean this?
"This shirt is easily washed by anyone who cares to wash it?"
The shirt washes easily.
If the active voice places the subject (agent/doer of the action) first and the object (the one/thing who/that the action affects) after the verb, as above, does the sentence mean that the shirt (SUBJECT) washes itself (OBJECT) and does so with ease?
Or does it mean this?
"This shirt is easily washed by anyone who cares to wash it?"
12EC has gone all quiet. ??
Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
NOTIONAL PASSIVE
is a name sometimes applied to structures wherein a verb in active voice works semantically to achieve a passive effect, as in This shirt washes well, which is notionally the same as the passive This shirt can be washed well.
Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
NOTIONAL PASSIVE
is a name sometimes applied to structures wherein a verb in active voice works semantically to achieve a passive effect, as in This shirt washes well, which is notionally the same as the passive This shirt can be washed well.