From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Wed Feb 27 2002 - 10:23:25 EST
Well, yes, of course I would prefer to call this a "middle" usage, although
you'll find that the grammars speak of a "permissive passive", e.g.,
Wallace, GGBB, p. 440:
========
2. Causative/Permissive Passive
a. Definition
The causative/permissive passive, like its middle counterpart,
implies consent, permission, or cause of the action of the verb on the part
of the subject. This usage is rare,108 usually shut up to imperatives (as
would be expected, since imperatives intrinsically involve volition).109 It
is difficult to decide whether a given passive is causative or
permissive;110 hence, the two categories are combined for pragmatic reasons.
========
At 5:50 AM -0500 2/27/02, Trevor Peterson wrote:
>Well, one answer might be to re-open Carl's can of worms and suggest that this
>be understood as a middle form. But that might not even solve your problem, so
>I'll stay away from that for now. If I understand correctly, your problem is
>with the apparent semantic disconnect between an action that one experiences
>and a command for that action to happen. I wonder, especially in light of this
>particular example, if it isn't possible to say that this sort of thing
>requires an extended offer on the part of the agent. So, if someone has
>provided a means of salvation that is available (to revert to the common
>metaphor, suppose that a person is drowning and someone throws a rope), the
>patient (the person in need of salvation) can be encouraged to take advantage
>of that means (grab the rope). To do so is not to save oneself, for someone
>else must pull in the other end. Still, the patient has a choice to make, to
>be saved or not. To that extent, the imperative can be used. I suppose "let
>yourself be saved" might be another way to put it, but that might put too much
>emphasis on the agency of the other.
>
>Trevor Peterson
>CUA/Semitics
>
>>===== Original Message From William Hale Boyd <wmhboyd@aol.com> =====
>>What is the force of an imperative passive verb? Sometimes I feel like I
>>must be rather thick in the head. It seems to me that if you give someone
>>a command it would necessitate an active response on their part. Case in
>>point is SOQHTE in Acts 2:40. "Be saved" (passive) in NASV. "Save
>>yourselves" (imperative) in KJV. How can it be both imperative and
>>passive?
>>
>>William Boyd
>>Little Rock, Arkansas
>>
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--
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
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