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In:Diachronic and Typological Perspectives on Anticausativization
Edited by Guglielmo Inglese, Giulia Mazzola and Eugenio Goria
[Typological Studies in Language 138] 2026
► pp. 1–24

Chapter 1
What is an anticausative marker and where do anticausative markers come from?

 | Università di Torino
 | Newcastle University
 | Università di Torino
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
Abstract
This chapter opens the volume by offering an introduction to the typology and diachrony of anticausative markers, exploring their structural and semantic properties. We first provide a definition of what cross-linguistically counts as an anticausative marker and discuss how anticausatives may be distinct from other voice markers, including passives and reflexives. In doing so, we single out the crucial difference between autocausative and decausative situations. We also survey the grammaticalization of anticausative markers, showcasing the variety of sources from which they can emerge, which, contrary to a widely shared view, is not limited to reflexivity. Finally, we provide a succinct summary of the chapters featured in this volume.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.How many anticausatives are there?
    • 2.1What counts as an anticausative marker?
    • 2.2Anticausatives, reflexives, and passives
    • 2.3Two types of decausatives
  • 3.The diachronic typology of anticausatives
  • 4.The chapters in this book
  • Author queries
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
References (80)
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