Number 6
Graduate Working Papers

An Explanation for Periphrastic Passives, or 'Why Is "Be" in the Passive?'

Zygmunt Frajzyngier
University of Colorado

Keywords

  • syntax, morphology

How to Cite

Frajzyngier, Z. (1976). An Explanation for Periphrastic Passives, or ’Why Is "Be" in the Passive?’. Colorado Research in Linguistics, 6. https://doi.org/10.33011/cril.6.1.1

Abstract

The aim of this preliminary paper is to show that the verb 'BE' is not a constituent of the underlying structure of the passive sentences. In the analysis that follows it is claimed that sentences with a periphrastic passive are part of the class of equational sentences.

This contradicts the analyses proposed by Langacker and Munro 1975, Lakoff 1971, and partially supports the analysis of Freidin 1975.

The evidence in the present paper is brought from three different language families. It seems that the analysis of English in Freidin 1975 is not in contradiction with the analysis of the present paper.