Grammar Squib - The Complex Passive in Danish

        Template:            NP    (aux) Vmatrix    Vcomplement*  (PP)
            	

Template with expletive subject: EXPL (aux) Vmatrix Vcomplement* ((NPindefinite) OR (PP))

Matrix verb Verbal complement Voice passive passive

Form Periphrastic passive Passive past participle

                           or 
                           synthetic passive	    

Changes to the citation form Suffix –t and use the aux. Suffix -t

                           blive ‘become’ (periphrastic)
                           or
                           Suffix –s (synthetic)

Relation to the subject of the construction SUBJ is not a thematic argument SUBJ is a thematic argument (↑SUBJ) = (↑XCOMP SUBJ)

Relation to the object of the construction if expletive subject OBJ is not a thematic argument OBJ is a thematic argument (↑OBJ) = (↑XCOMP OBJ) Semantics Denotes an action Argument-structure:

Grammatical functions: [PROP]

‹XCOMP› SUBJ [UNDERGOER]

       ‹SUBJ›                   	

If expletive subject Argument structure:

Grammatical functions:	 

[PROP]

‹XCOMP› SUBJ OBJ [UNDERGOER]

       ‹OBJ›                   	

Syntactic selection Selecting verbal complement Lexical properties Control verb (subject or object control) Tendencies Rarely allows prefixed negation u- ‘un-’ Characteristics of the corresponding active verb form Selects infinitival complements without a prepositional marker. Does not take experiencer subject

	Not an unaccusative verb