ERGATIVITY IN ENGLISH: REFLECTING ON THE USAGE

English language

The interest in ergativity in linguistics is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Many languages inherit it though the nature of ergativity is not similar in all languages. In the English language ergativity is manifested in different forms. As ergativity digresses considerably from conventional grammar, users of the English language are likely to be baffled by it unless they are trained about it in a systematic way. The purpose of this paper is to bring ergativity into the main focus so that the teachers and learners become aware of the pitfalls of this curious aspect of the English language. It also examines how diversely the English language lends itself to ergativity. This paper also goes a few steps further to retrieve examples from different authentic sources to demonstrate the current usage of ergative verbs. As a whole it, this paper will not only enlighten the readers about the theoretical aspect of grammar but will also offer valuable tips for classroom teachers.

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