|
| er·ga·tive [ úrgətiv ] |
adjective |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. allowing object to be subject: describes a class of verbs in which the object of the transitive form can be used as the subject of the intransitive form with an equivalent meaning. "Open" is an example of an ergative verb in "I opened the door" and "The door opened."
|
2. indicating doer of action as object: describes a case of nouns in languages such as Inuit and Basque indicating that the object of the verb acts, while the subject is affected by the action
|
noun (plural er·ga·tives) |
|
| Definition: |
| |
ergative word: an ergative verb, or a noun in the ergative case
|
| [Mid-20th century. < Greek ergatēs "worker" < ergon "work"] |
