Transition / intransition is a category on the basis of which the relationship between the subject and the object of action can be distinguished. The meaning of this category is that the subject performs a certain action, and its result may “turn out” (pass) or not “turn out” (not go) to the subject. Therefore, verbs in the Russian language are divided into transitive and intransitive.
Transitive and intransitive verbs. The lexical meaning
To determine transitiveness, it is necessary to identify a key attribute, which acts as an addition to the verb and has a certain case marking.
A transitive verb is a verb that has the meaning of an action that is directed at the object and changes or produces it (check the work, dig a hole).
Intransitive verb - denotes a movement or position in space, or a moral state, or physical.
The so-called labile verbs are also distinguished. They can be both transient and intransitive (the editor rules the manuscript - the world rules the man himself).
Syntax difference
The syntactic difference between transitive and intransitive verbs is associated with the lexical meaning. Transitive and intransitive verbs are usually combined:
- The first - with nouns and pronouns denoting the object of action without an excuse in the accusative case (read a magazine, treat a girl).
- The second - with additions that are expressed by nouns and pronouns, with or without pretexts exclusively in indirect cases (play on the street, walk around the yard). Also, with intransitive verbs, an accusative case can be used , but without an excuse and bearing the meaning of time or space: tourists go day and night.
In addition, the object of action in transitive verbs can be expressed in the genitive case, but only in such cases:
- when designating a part of an object: buy water, drink tea;
- if the verb has a negation: I have no right, I have not read the book.
Transitive and intransitive verbs (table) have such basic differences.
Morphological features
As a rule, these verbs do not have special morphological characteristics. But still, certain types of word formation are indicators of transitive or intransitive verb. So, the transitive verb is:
- all verbs that have an affix -sya (make sure);
- denominative verbs in which suffix or -e- allocated -No - (- icha-): pick and be reduced to a pulp, greedy.
The transitional verbs include verbs that were formed from adjectives with the suffix -and-: green, blacken.
There are some cases when, by attaching the prefix to intransitive non-prefixal verbs, they form transitional verbs. Examples: harm and render harmless.
If the sentence does not have an addendum, then the transitive verb serves as an intransitive: The student writes well (the property inherent in the given person is indicated).
Intransitive verbs contain a special group of reflexive verbs, their formal attribute is the suffix -sya (wash, return).
Reflexive verbs. Features
Reflexive verbs are studied in the school curriculum, as well as transitive verbs (grade 6).
Reflexive verb denotes a self-directed action. It is formed with the help of a particle (postfix) s.
We can distinguish the following main features of these verbs:
- Firstly, they can come from both transitive verbs (dressing - dressing) and intransitive (knocking - knocking). But all the same, reflexive (transitive verbs after adding the postfix -sa) in any case become intransitive (dressing - dressing).
- Secondly, these postfixes are added: -sya - after consonants (wash, wash, wash), -sya - after vowels (dress, dress). It is worth noting that participles are always written with the postfix -sya (dressing, washing).
- Thirdly, reflexive verbs are formed in three ways: suffix-postfixal - by adding a suffix and postfix to the base (rez + vi (t) sy), prefix-postfix (to + drink_sya), postfixal (wash + sya).
Formation of derivatives and passive participles
Since the main morphological properties of transitive verbs are the formation of derivatives of n-th and passive participles, which is uncharacteristic of intransitive verbs, we will familiarize ourselves with this process in more detail.
In most cases, a transitive verb is one that forms a passive participle, or dative with endings, which can have a return (rush), passive meaning (be created), decausive (break).
The exceptions are the verbs to add (in weight), cost, weigh and most of the self-assets to -nu (pick). Moreover, these verbs do not form passive and reflexive derivatives.
But still there are intransitive verbs that can form passive constructions. For example, the verb is expected. He forms a passive from an intransitive construction with an addition in the genitive case: I expect the arrival of Vasily - the arrival of Vasily is expected.
Verb transitivity correlation
Despite the fact that transitivity does not have a single formal expression, there are still trends that connect the category of transitivity with the formal properties of a verb, for example, with verb prefixes:
- The overwhelming majority of irrevocable verbs that have the prefix ra- are transitive (blur, interpret). The exceptions are: verbs denoting movement with the suffix -va- / -iva- / -a- (swing, drive around); verbs expressing spontaneous changes in the properties of an object, in particular containing the suffix -nu, formed from intransitive verbs (soak, melt, swell); verbs containing thematic vowels -–, which indicate a change in properties (approve, get rich); including - to ring, think.
- Almost all irrevocable verbs containing the prefix of - are transitive (exceptions: soak, dry out, deign, and others).
Semantic properties of transitive verbs
Russian language has a large class of direct additions. In addition to those that are significantly affected by the situation, the verb can have a direct complement that plays a different semantic role (for example, see, have, create - with these transitive verbs nothing happens to the object, it is not destroyed, it does not change).
So it turns out that the opposition in transitivity should not be strictly connected with the semantic class of the verb. This means that the transitive verb does not have to denote an agent-patient situation. But nevertheless, some trends can be noted.
So, the transitive verb is:
- verb of destruction or destruction of an object (kill, smash);
- a verb to change the shape of an object (mash, squeeze);
- the verb of conditioning emotions (offend, angry, insult).
The semantic properties of intransitive verbs
By highlighting the semantic properties of transitive verbs, you can determine the properties of all the rest, that is, intransitive:
- Single verbs that have no additions, that is, characterizing a change in the state of the patient (direct addition, significantly affected by the situation), which was not caused by the agent. Or a case is possible when the agent plays an insignificant role: die, rot, fall, get wet.
- Double rooms with indirect addition. That is, the verbs of help (exception support): to contribute, help, indulge, help.
- Verbs that are used with an object that acts as an integral part of the agent of the verb (to move, move, wave).
- Verbs of perception of a fictional situation (count on, expect (what), hope on, hope on).
Non-canonical direct add-on types
It has already been said more than once that the key property of transitive verbs is the ability to interact with direct complement in the accusative case. But there are classes of verbs that are used not only with nouns and pronouns in the accusative case, but also with a word or other part of speech that is semantically identical to one degree or another. It can be:
- prepositional group (I scratched his ear);
- genius group (grandfather did not read this newspaper);
- adverbial group (he drinks a lot, I decided so);
- sentimental actant (the infinitive phrase - I like to go to the theater; the subordinate clause used with the union -to-or-what-I realized that he would go to the sea; the subordinate clause with the union -when - I do not like it when it rains).
Some of the above constructions can not only replace the direct complement used in transitive verbs, but can also be used to express a similar function with intransitive verbs. Namely:
- infinitive turns (he is afraid to go into the forest at night);
- subordinate clauses together with unions — so that and — what (she was angry that he did not come; he prayed that she would come);
- relative clauses together with the union - when (I do not like when the doors are kept closed);
- genitive (she avoids these guys);
- designs with a lot (Alina sleeps a lot).
Analogues of the above additions in the accusative case have, to varying degrees, the prototypical properties of direct additions.
To summarize
Despite the fact that this topic is one of the difficult ones, we were able to determine what the transitive verb means. And also learned to distinguish it from intransitive and distinguish among the last reciprocal. And to prove this, we give for example phrases with transitive verbs, with intransitive and reflexive:
- transitional: to paint the walls, treat the patient, read a book, sew a suit, expand the sleeve, buy tea, drink water, has no right to rock the child;
- intransitive: walk the streets, believe in goodness, walk in the park, become tired of fatigue;
- returnable: achieve a goal, disagree, approach one another, obey the boss, think about being, vouch for a brother, touch on a question.