Ergativity and causativity

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Ergativity presents a unique grammatical structure where the object of a transitive clause parallels the subject of an intransitive clause, while the transitive subject is treated distinctly. The paper explores this concept through the framework established by Dixon, utilizing symbols for the different roles: S for intransitive subjects, A for transitive subjects, and O for transitive objects. Initially linked to case marking, ergativity contrasts with accusativity, highlighting how argument roles influence grammatical case assignment in English verb phrases.