Transitivity in the Bima Language

Abstract

Transitivity is one of the syntactical studies that is affected by
morphology. This article describes how transitivity is expressed and
how transitive are the verbs in the constructions of clauses in the Bima
Language. Transitivity in the Bima Language is mostly expressed using
basic verbs which can be syntactically used as verbs in clauses. Apart
from this, prefix ka- with its variant ca- is used to derive transitive from
intransitive verbs and nonverbal categories. Meanwhile, particle kai and
wea are used to derive ditransitive from transitive verbs. The transitivity
of verbs in the Bima Language varies from one to another. Whether the
verbs are said to have high or low transitive, it depends on how they
fulfill the transitive parameter (Hooper and Thompson, 1989). Form 10
parameters of transitivity, there are four parameters which fit the Bima
Language transitivity, such as participant (agents and patients),
affectedness of patient, potency of agent, and volitionality. The
constructions which are considered as high transitive is that if the
constructions use action verbs rather than state verbs and mental verbs.
It is found out that action verbs can cause the agents of the clause to
take control on the activities, can affect the patients, and intensively can
cause the agent to do the activities expressed by the verbs deliberately
and intensively.