On the Identity of -Eykey in Korean Morphological Passives

Abstract

This squib investigates the nature of –eykey in Korean morphological/lexical passives. We first argue that this type of passives derives from their causative counterparts. The former and the latter can have the same form of verb, but during passivization the zero passivizing morphology on the transitive complement verb of the matrix causative morpheme demotes the Dative -eyeky-marked Causee from an argument to an adjunct, besides the transitive verb losing the ability to value Accusative Case. The so-called animacy restriction on the subject NP with –eykey passives is ascribed to the requirement that it assume the Causer role in –eykey passives. In contrast, –ey uyhay passives are derived from the zero passivizing morpheme attached to the causativized verb complex, thus the matrix subject being realized by the particle –ey uyhay.