The continuum of non-attribution of causality in Crônica Geral de Espanha de 1344

Abstract

Based on a cognitive-functional approach, this work analyzes the passive, middle and impersonal constructions in Archaic Portuguese, in order to demonstrate that they form a causality continuum. The present research, thus, claims that the common feature of these constructions is the non-attribution of causality, and that they represent different conceptualizations of an event. Semantic aspects such as cognitive salience of Affected and of Causative, animacy and transitivity were analyzed in 1061 occurrences of these construction in "Crônica Geral de Espanha de 1344."They were then divided according to transitivity and causality degrees.  The results indicate that the middle construction is the most prototypical of the constructions of non-attribution of causality, because it presents the least salient causative and the lowest degree of transitivity. The passive was characterized as the least prototypical construction because its causative is commonly evoked and it presents a higher degree of transitivity.  Impersonal construction, whose causative is frequently inferable, was characterized as more causative and more transitive than the middle construction, but, less causative and less transitive than the passive.