Copyright
Nicolaos NeocleousPublished On
2026-01-07Page Range
pp. 317–334Language
- English
Print Length
18 pages
7. Passives in Asia Minor Greek
Chapter of: Passivisation in Semitic, Iranian, Armenian, and Beyond(pp. 317–334)
This chapter explores passive constructions in Asia Minor Greek, focusing on their syntactic properties from a Minimalist perspective. It examines the role of detransitivising morphology, agent demotion, and patient promotion in passive formation. The study also discusses the influence of Turkish and other neighbouring languages on the development of passive voice in Asia Minor Greek. It identifies two types of passives: fully productive, as in English, and semi-productive, as in Greek, with restrictions on certain verb classes and the absence of by-phrases. Contrary to languages like English, passive formation in Asia Minor Greek occurs within the VP, making it sensitive to lexical properties.
Contributors
Nicolaos Neocleous
(author)Post-doctoral Researcher in the Faculty of Philology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
(PhD, University of Cambridge, 2020) is a Post-doctoral Researcher in the Faculty of Philology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His research interests lie within syntax and its interface with morphology and semantics. Specifically, he explores language contact in cases of bilingualism, with a keen focus on the contact between Asia Minor Greek varieties and Turkish. A recent addition to his research agenda involves delving into the grammar of heritage languages, particularly the variety of Pontic Greek spoken in Cyprus.