Sanskrit

[T.I. Console]

Jacob Baltuch wrote:

>Regarding your Sanskrit example: if pushed I would have probably guessed
>that Sanskrit does not allow indirect objects to be raised to subject,
>since I'd never have thought of the passive of the *causative*, but you
>make an ingenious use of it, although it is not completely clear to me.

>1) rAmo nalAya pustaka.m dadAti
>2) rAme.na nalAya pustaka.m dIyate
>3) nalo rAme.na pustaka.m dApyate

>I'd always thought the meaning of (3) was "N. is made to give a book by R."
>(passive of "raamaH naalaM pustakaM daapayati" or "raamaH naaleNa pustakaM
>daapayati", i.e. "R. makes/has N. give a book").
>But "nalo raameNa pustakaM daapyate" in the meaning of "N. is given a book
>by R." with the crucial raising of the indirect object to the subject position
>entirely stumps me.

I do not know if you understand Dutch (I see you have .BE as country code), but maybe you understand 3) if I say

1) rama geeft nala een boek
rama - gives - nala - a book
2) een boek wordt door rama aan nala gegeven
a book - is - by rama - to nala - given
3) nala is een boek gegeven geworden (door rama) / gegeven doen worden
nala - is - a book - been given (by rama) / given cause to be

Here, the idea of dative-like subject is felt.

Sandra van der Geer
Leiden
NL
info at ticonsole.nl