What is a causative?

Definition
	A causative is a grammatical or lexical indication of the causal role of a referent in relation to an event or state expressed by a verb.

Discussion
	A causative may be indicated by a
	verbal affix component of meaning in the verb, or special construction.

Examples (English)
	Herod had John killed. The sun solidified the mixture.

Sources
	Crystal 1985 44–45
	Elson and Pickett 1988 31
	Faust 1973 70

Context for this page:

Concept module: causative
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): C
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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