All Nordic languages: causative

[Gavril]

There are traces of a causative suffix in Swedish, e.g.

falla "fall" vs. fälla "make fall" (where the vowel -ä- is caused by a lost suffix -j-)

Other Nordic languages probably have similar examples. But, do any Nordic languages have a productive way of forming the causative from any given verb, other than the use of an auxiliary verb (such as Eng. make)?

Also, some Nordic languages have traces of a factitive suffix (like a causative suffix, but applicable to adjectives/nouns rather than verbs):

Icel. víkka "widen" < víður "wide"
Icel. fækka "lessen" < fár "few"

Is there a productive formation of this kind in any Nordic languages?

Thanks

 

[Martin78]

There are traces of a causative suffix in Swedish, e.g.

falla "fall" vs. fälla "make fall" (where the vowel -ä- is caused by a lost suffix -j-)

Other Nordic languages probably have similar examples. But, do any Nordic languages have a productive way of forming the causative from any given verb, other than the use of an auxiliary verb (such as Eng. make)?

Also, some Nordic languages have traces of a factitive suffix (like a causative suffix, but applicable to adjectives/nouns rather than verbs):

Icel. víkka "widen" < víður "wide"
Icel. fækka "lessen" < fár "few"

Is there a productive formation of this kind in any Nordic languages?

Thanks

In Swedish, the answer is no, there is no productive formation and if I were to use "rulla" (to role) and form a causative in the same, "rylla" (to make role), I'm sure most Swedes would not even understand it. I wouldn't, if I hadn't just made it up. I can't speak for other Nordic languages, but it would surprise me if any Nordic language allowed for it.

 

[sindridah]

Causative in Icelandic is called weak verbs wich is formed in from second principal parts.

Causative First principal Second principal Third principal Forth princ.
Setja Sitja Sat Sátum setið

(First principal: infinitive ) (second: indicative;singular;preterit ) ( third: plural;preterit;indicative ) ( Forth: past participle )


Hope that makes sense

 

[Gavril]

Causative in Icelandic is called weak verbs wich is formed in from second principal parts.

I thought that a weak verb was any verb that has the past tense in -ði, regardless of whether or not it's causative. Is that correct?

Causative First principal Second principal Third principal Forth princ.
Setja Sitja Sat Sátum setið

(First principal: infinitive ) (second: indicative;singular;preterit ) ( third: plural;preterit;indicative ) ( Forth: past participle )


Hope that makes sense

It does make sense, but does this process work on any given verb? For example, from the strong verb bjóða "offer", can you form a causative *beyðja "to make someone offer"? Or, from the verb fækka, can you (at least in theory) form a verb *fækkja "to cause something/someone to reduce"?

Thanks

 

[sindridah]

I thought that a weak verb was any verb that has the past tense in -ði, regardless of whether or not it's causative. Is that correct?

Yes, That is indeed correct. They have -aði, -ði, -di, -ti ending in the second principal.



It does make sense, but does this process work on any given verb? For example, from the strong verb bjóða "offer", can you form a causative *beyðja "to make someone offer"? Or, from the verb fækka, can you (at least in theory) form a verb *fækkja "to cause something/someone to reduce"?

Thanks

No you cannot, Causative is now getting more clearer for me .

The verb fækka is in second principal = Ég fækkaði Wich cannot change to so called I-Umlaut. So therefor you cannot form a "new verb"

I want to show you examples of this I-Umlaut

To break ( Brjóta ) Is in second principal = Ég braut Wich can indeed form this I-Umlaut, And the Causative of aforesaid verb is breyta

Au - Ey = I-Umlaut

And finally, Causative does not have the same meaning as the verb wich formed it.

Sorry, I think i forgot something.

The verb bjóða is in second principal: Ég bauð, There is no such verb as Beyða So therefor it's not a causative.

 

[Alxmrphi]

I thought that a weak verb was any verb that has the past tense in -ði, regardless of whether or not it's causative. Is that correct?

(Erring away from the discussion of causatives)
There are 3 categories of weak verb in Icelandic, this is most commonly called Group-1 (the one you described), Group-2 weak verbs end in "di/ti/ði" (depending on the ending of the root of the word).

I.e. ég kenndi nemendur.

Just thought I'd point that out as I was a bit bored and thought I'd respond

 

[sindridah]

The Walish syndrome?