middle voice and ergative verbs

[Aldana]

hi, I´m from argentina and i need some help to find out if this example of middle voice is ok. " the glass broken", and if this example on ergative verbs is ok. "the cake bake", I really don´t know if they are ok.

thank you very much Aldana

[Touchwood]

Hi Aldana,

I'm not an expert on grammar, but I'll do my best.

You're first example "the glass broken" is very close, but "broken" is an adjective, not a verb form. Correct for the middle voice would be "the glass broke" in which the intransitive form of the verb "to break" appears active but is passive.

Your second example "the cake bake" is slightly more complicated. You are using the transitive form of the verb to bake (I bake a cake, you bake a cake, he bakes a cake etc.) but the context suggests you need the intransitive form (The cake bakes) This is then an ergative verb.

To summarise, correct answers are: -

The glass broke

The cake bakes

In other words, you were very close indeed, but your verb forms let you down!

Hope this helps

Mike

[Aldana]

thank you very much, it helped me a lot, see you.
Aldana