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middle voice and register
"Where on earth does it state that the middle voice is a featrure [sic] of vernacular and/or informal English? I've searched for qualified sources, but cannot find anything."
I think the answer is: it doesn't state that anywhere. And even if it did, why would you necessarily believe it?
<And even if it did, why would you necessarily believe it? >
I have to believe something if I want to learn to use English well, don't I?
<My original question has not been answered: >
You can't find it because it isn't true, Bridget. This forum is full of people who just spout off about usage but have nothing to base their claims on.
"I have to believe something if I want to learn to use English well, don't I?"
Further to Position's posting, it is not quite clear to me how this so-called "middle voice" is supposed to help anyone to "use English well."
<Further to Position's posting, it is not quite clear to me how this so-called "middle voice" is supposed to help anyone to "use English well." >
After being told how active and passive voice work in English and frustratingly trying to apply it to the sentences below, the explanation of a middle voice, has helped me understand: This soup eats like a meal. This book reads well. Wheat grows well on this farm. The window opened with difficulty. The mud scraped of effortlessly. Your "syntactics only" explanation has not worked for me. By considering also the semantic, and semantic arguments of agent, patient, affected, etc., I now have a FULLER, more lucid, view of the above usage.
Here's a nice one, Bridget:
"Well, I don’t know, this new ball doesn’t kick very well."
Thanks. I wonder if our "syntactics friend" can tell us why these don't work.
"Some people {murder/lynch/assassinate/massacre/execute} easily."
<Thanks. I wonder if our "syntactics friend" can tell us why these don't work.
"Some people {murder/lynch/assassinate/massacre/execute} easily." > They work in one way, but not in the way we are discussing here, i.e. as middles. Let's see if "Mr Syntax" can indeed tell us why.
1. "Mr Syntax" has a life. In case you hadn't noticed, it was the Easter weekend.
2. This is issue is beyond its useful discussion life. I stated my opinion, you've stated yours. We don't appear to agree. Show's over. 3. "Mr Syntax" doesn't feel the need to waste his breath exchanging pot-shots with M56 whose immediate default setting in most discussions is a combination of impenetrable language and self-important, patronizing disdain for anyone who disagrees with him.
Me:
"'Mr Syntax' doesn't feel the need to waste his breath exchanging pot-shots with M56 whose immediate default setting in most discussions is a combination of impenetrable language and self-important, patronizing disdain for anyone who disagrees with him." M56: "Mr Syntax spouts and runs once more! LOL!" Me: QED.
Hello, it's been a long time. I just want to say. Don't spend time and energy trying to convince a man that doesn't want to be convinced of anything.
We've discussed the middle-voice over and over... and over... but He and some more people still think that way. that's the way it is. Kind regards Pete from Peru
<We've discussed the middle-voice over and over... and over... but He and some more people still think that way. that's the way it is. >
Problem is, he doesn't think.
<Problem is, he doesn't think. >
Another way to say this: he does not like to lick your boots in most discussions and says things in the straightforward way. |