The causative-passive ambiguity and the notion of contiguity as a crucial factor in explaining the retained-object passive constructions

Abstract

This paper observes cross-linguistic data about the causative-passiverelationship, and further investigates the ambiguity of readings between the causative and the retained object passive construction in Korean. We have examined when the ambiguity arises and characterized the conditions under which the ambiguity reading is possible. It has been assumed that the ambiguity seemed to occur when the retained object is an inalienable possession (or body part) of the subject. However, it was shown that the distinction between inalienable and alienable possession is not crucially relevant for the ambiguity in question. This finding led us to modify the condition as possessive relations. Furthermore, it was argued that simply describing the condition as possessive relations is not specific enough. The important factor is whether or not the subject is physically contiguous with the retained object. Thus, the notion of contiguity plays a crucial role in explaining the retained object passive construction in Korean. Our explanation that crucially based on the notion of contiguity, in fact, trivializes the notion of inalienability in the relevant constructions, such as the retained-object passive construction and the possessor ascension construction.