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Part of
Antipassive: Typology, diachrony, and related constructions
Edited by Katarzyna Janic and Alena Witzlack-Makarevich
[Typological Studies in Language 130] 2021
► pp. 549–578

Chapter 17
Antipassive and antipassive-like constructions in Mayan languages

| University of Oklahoma

This chapter details the characteristics of the various constructions found in Mayan languages that exhibit some number of antipassive features (absolutive, incorporating, agent focus, reflexives/reciprocals). Although the label ‘antipassive’ has been applied to many of these structures historically, based on the features presented in this volume as diagnostics for antipassives cross-linguistically, only certain instantiations of the ‘absolutive’ antipassive qualify as antipassives.

Keywords: Mayan, ergativity, agent focus, incorporation, absolutive antipassive
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Background on Mayan
    • 2.1Verb structure and alignment
    • 2.2Transitivity
    • 2.3Word order and syntax
  • 3.Antipassive-like structures
    • 3.1Absolutive constructions
      • 3.1.1An important note on K’ichean languages
      • 3.1.2Other major variations in absolutive constructions
      • 3.1.3Is the absolutive construction an antipassive?
    • 3.2Agent focus (AF)
      • 3.2.1Other major variations in AF constructions
      • 3.2.2Is the AF construction an antipassive?
    • 3.3Incorporating constructions
      • 3.3.1Are incorporating constructions antipassives?
      • 3.3.2Reflexive/reciprocal constructions
      • 3.3.3Are detransitivized reflexives/reciprocals antipassives?
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Published online: 23 March 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.130.17hea
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