Nonagentive

In linguistics and philosophy, 'nonagentive' describes a clause, verb, or construction where the subject does not perform the action or initiate the process. Instead, the subject is typically the recipient, experiencer, or undergoer of the action or state. It emphasizes the passivity or affectedness of the subject, contrasting with agentive structures where the subject actively controls and performs the action. nonagentive constructions highlight the outcome, state, or process rather than the actor. This often involves passive voice, stative verbs, or reflexive constructions, shifting focus away from an active doer.

Nonagentive meaning with examples

• The vase shattered into a thousand pieces. Here, 'the vase' is the subject but doesn't actively shatter anything; it's the object of an event. The focus is on the broken state rather than an agent causing the breakage. This highlights a nonagentive construction with an emphasis on the resulting state.
• She felt the cold wind on her skin. While 'she' experiences the feeling, the wind is the initiating force. The sentence focuses on the subjective experience rather than the agent responsible for the wind. It emphasizes the sensory experience of the subject, a common nonagentive scenario.
• The door was opened by the wind. The passive voice ('was opened') removes an explicit agent. The emphasis shifts to the door and its change of state. nonagentive elements highlight the affected object, making this construction nonagentive in nature.
• He found himself lost in the forest. The reflexive construction emphasizes the subject's experience. The action of getting lost happens to 'himself,' with no active agency involved. Reflexivity, often a characteristic of nonagentive verb phrases.
• The building collapsed during the earthquake. Here, the building is the subject, and the earthquake is the cause. There is no agency by the building to initiate the collapse; it is the undergoer of an event. Thus it is an example of a nonagentive structure.