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====Active==== | ====Active==== | ||
====Middle==== | ====Middle==== | ||
The '''middle voice''' (also called the [[w:Mediopassive voice|mediopassive voice]]) is in the middle between the active and the passive voices, as the subject often cannot be categorised as either agent or patient but may have elements of both. The middle voice is usually inherently intransitive, and transitive or ditransitive verbs conjugated into the middle voice usually become intransitive themselves. It is formed by attaching the '''middle verb endings''' to the root of a verb. | |||
====='''Uses of the middle voice'''===== | |||
The meaning of a verb in the middle voice often depends on the context of the sentence and the lexical properties of the word itself. In its most basic sense, it may be used simply as a valancy decreasing operation. As transitive verbs require an object in the active voice (because transitive verbs must agree with the object), the middle voice may be used merely to omit an object, to highlight the subject or some other part of the sentence, or to simply make a blanket statement. | |||
* '''''aed<u>aȥ</u>''''' 'they love <u>me</u>' (''active'') → '''''aed<u>or</u>''''' '<u>I</u> love' (''middle'') | |||
* '''''leg<u>is</u>''''' 'they<sub>i</sub> choose <u>them<sub>j</sub></u>' (''active'') → '''''leg<u>ërur</u>''''' '<u>they<sub>j</sub></u> choose' (''middle'') | |||
[[w:Animacy|Animacy]] can play a major role in the meaning of a verb in the middle voice. Verbs with more animate subjects, such as people, animals, gods, etc., may be interpreted as more towards an active meaning, whilst less animate subjects, like inanimate objects or possessions, may be interpreted as more passive in meaning. | |||
* '''''augērur seus ars''''' 'that person sees' (''more animate'') | |||
* '''''augērra sea salva''''' 'that book is seen' (''less animate'') | |||
Sometimes, it may have a '''reflexive''' meaning, or the sense of doing something for ones own benefit. | |||
====Passive==== | ====Passive==== | ||
The '''[[w:Passive voice|passive voice]]''' in Aeranir shares many traits with the middle voice (sometimes called ''[[w:Mediopassive voice|mediopassive]]''), and often times the distinction between the two can be subtle, nuanced, or obscure. The passive was rare in Old Aeranir and even in the Classical period remained unusual, with the middle voice still preferred for passive clauses. It only began to rise in popularity in Late Aeranir. In its most basic form, the grammatical subject ([[w: Nominative case|nominative]] argument) expresses the theme or [[w:Grammatical patient|patient]] of the main verb – that is, the person or thing that undergoes the action or has its state changed. This is opposed to the [[w:Active voice|active voice]], where the nominative argument expresses the agent of a transitive clause or subject of an intransitive one, and the [[w:Voice (grammar)#Middle|middle voice]], which has traits of both. | The '''[[w:Passive voice|passive voice]]''' in Aeranir shares many traits with the middle voice (sometimes called ''[[w:Mediopassive voice|mediopassive]]''), and often times the distinction between the two can be subtle, nuanced, or obscure. The passive was rare in Old Aeranir and even in the Classical period remained unusual, with the middle voice still preferred for passive clauses. It only began to rise in popularity in Late Aeranir. In its most basic form, the grammatical subject ([[w: Nominative case|nominative]] argument) expresses the theme or [[w:Grammatical patient|patient]] of the main verb – that is, the person or thing that undergoes the action or has its state changed. This is opposed to the [[w:Active voice|active voice]], where the nominative argument expresses the agent of a transitive clause or subject of an intransitive one, and the [[w:Voice (grammar)#Middle|middle voice]], which has traits of both. | ||