Ergative Verbs

are a linguistic concept found in some languages.

Structure

Ergative verbs are both transitive and intransitive. The object when it is transitive is the same as the subject when it is intransitive:

Example:

Peter closed the door.
Transmitive: N + V + N
The door closed
Intransitive: N + V
I boiled some water.
Transmitive: N + V + N
The water boiled.
Intransitive: N + V

Common ergative verbs are:

begin
break
change
close
crack
start
drop
dry
end
finish
grow
stop
improve
increase
move
open
shake
tear • turn

Example:

I broke the glass
I dropped the glass and it broke.
The referee started the match.
The match started at 2.30.
We grew some tasty potatoes.
The potatoes were growing well.
The wind shook the trees.
The trees shook in the wind.

Verbs to do with cooking are often ergative:

bake
boil
cook
defrost
freeze
melt • roast

Example:

You should roast the meat at 200 degrees.
The meat was roasting in a hot oven.

I always defrost meat before I cook it.
I am waiting for the meat to defrost.

Melt the chocolate and pour it over the ice cream.
The chocolate was melting in a pan.

Verbs to do with vehicles are often ergative:

back
crash
drive
reverse
start
stop
run
sail • fly

Example:

I'm learning to fly a plane.
The plane flew at twice the speed of sound.

He crashed his car into a tree.
His car crashed into a tree.

Some verbs are ergative with only a few nouns:

catch:
dress
coat
clothes
trousers
-
etc.
fire:
gun
pistol
rifle
rocket
-
etc.
play:
music
guitar
piano
CD
DVD
etc.
ring:
bell
alarm
-
-
-
etc.

Example:

She caught her dress on a nail.
Her dress caught on a nail.

He fired a pistol to start the race.
A pistol fired to start the race.

Shall we play some music ?
Some music played in the background.

There's a fire! Ring the alarm!
The fire alarm rang at 11.42 a.m.