Abstract
Causative constructions are a fascinating aspect of linguistic of the language morphological system, serving as a means to express the concept of causing an action to occur. This means that these constructions allow speakers to express the idea that one entity (the causer) causes another entity (the causee) to perform an action or enter a particular state. In Arabic, causative constructions are particularly rich and varied, influenced by the language’s morphology, syntax, and semantics. This paper examines the nature of causative constructions in Arabic, discussing their formation, usage, and contextual implications. By exploring various types of causatives, including morphological and analytical forms, this study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of causative strategies within the Arabic language.
1. Introduction
Causative constructions are integral to understanding how different languages express agency and causation. They highlight how languages convey relationships between actions and agents. They allow speakers to indicate who is causing an action to happen, who is performing it, and sometimes even who is affected by it.In general, a causative construction allows one to indicate that a subject causes someone else to perform an action or brings about a certain state. For example, in English, we can say “I made him cry,” where “I” is the agent causing the action of crying. In contrast, some languages use specific morphological changes or additional verbs to convey this causative meaning. In Arabic many Arabic verbs can be made causative by adding a specific pattern. For instance, “kataba (دون، كتب)” (to write) becomes “kattaba” (to make someone write).
These variations illustrate not only linguistic diversity but also how different cultures perceive agency and causation. Arabic is an example of this. The sentence Understanding these constructions can reveal cultural nuances regarding responsibility, intention, and social dynamics in communication. Arabic, with its unique morphological structure and rich grammatical features, presents a compelling case study. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the various forms and functions of causative constructions in Arabic, highlighting both their morphological underpinnings and syntactic implications. In this discussion, we will explore:
Morphological Causatives: How Arabic derives causative verbs through different verb forms.
Periphrastic or Syntactic Causatives: How causatives are expressed using additional verbs or clauses.
Complex and Layered Causatives: How multiple layers of causation are expressed.
Morphological Causatives (Derivational Causatives)
In Arabic, causative constructions are mainly derived by modifying the base form of a verb (Form I) using the well-established system of verb forms. The two most common causative forms are Form II (فَعَّلَ) and Form IV (أَفْعَلَ).** These forms are created by applying different patterns to the root letters of the verb, adding specific morphological markers that indicate causation.
Form II (فَعَّلَ – Geminated Middle Radical)
Form II is one of the most widely used causative forms in Arabic and is characterized by the doubling (gemination) of the middle radical of the verb. The pattern used is typically faʿʿala, where the second consonant of the root is doubled.
Examples
درس (darasa) – “He studied” (Form I – non-causative)
درّس (darrasa) – “He taught (made someone study)” (Form II – causative)
كتب (kataba) – “He wrote” (Form I – non-causative)
كتّب (kattaba) – “He made someone write” (Form II – causative)
In these examples, the Form II verbs express a causative meaning, where the subject causes someone else to perform the action indicated by the verb.
Form IV (أَفْعَلَ – Prefix with ‘أَ’)
Form IV is another productive causative form in Arabic. It is formed by adding the prefix ’a- (أَ) to the root, often with a change in the internal vowel pattern. The Form IV pattern is ‘afʿala.
Examples:
كبر (kabura) – “He got bigger / He grew” (Form I – non-causative)
أكبر (‘akbara) – “He made someone grow / He enlarged something” (Form IV – causative)
دخل (dakhala) – “He entered” (Form I – non-causative)
أدخل (‘adkhala) – “He made someone enter / He brought in” (Form IV – causative)
In these examples, the Form IV verbs express a causative meaning, where the subject causes someone else to perform the action or experience the state indicated by the verb.
Form III (فَاعَلَ – Reciprocal and Causative)
Form III verbs, with the pattern fāʿala, often express a reciprocal or causative meaning. Though less common than Forms II and IV for purely causative constructions, it can still indicate a form of causation in certain contexts.
Examples:
قرب (qaruba) – “He came close” (Form I – non-causative)
قارب (qāraba) – “He approached / He made himself come close” (Form III – causative/reciprocal)
Periphrastic or Syntactic Causatives
In addition to morphological causatives, Arabic also employs periphrastic (syntactic) causatives, where causation is expressed using auxiliary verbs or other syntactic constructions. These are less common than morphological causatives but are still important, especially in spoken Arabic or more complex syntactic constructions. Two common verbs used in periphrastic causatives are:
جعل (jaʿala) – “to make” or “to cause”
أمر (amara) – “to command” or “to order”
Examples of Periphrastic Causatives:
جعل (jaʿala) + verb in the imperfective form:
جعلت الولد يكتب (jaʿaltu al-walada yaktubu) – “I made the boy write.”
Here, جعل (jaʿala) is used as a causative verb meaning “to make,” followed by the imperfective form of the verb yaktubu (to write).
أمر (amara) + verb in the subjunctive form:
أمرته أن يكتب (amartuhu ‘an yaktuba) – “I ordered him to write.”
In this case, amara expresses causation in the sense of giving a command, followed by the verb yaktuba in the subjunctive form.
Other Syntactic Constructions:
In some cases, Arabic may use complex syntactic structures to express causation, often involving subordinate clauses. For instance:
سمحت له أن يدخل (samḥtu lahu ‘an yadkhula) – “I allowed him to enter.”
The verb samḥa (to allow) introduces a causative meaning, where the subject permits the causee to perform the action.
Complex and Layered Causatives
In Arabic, it is also possible to create multi-layered causatives by combining more than one level of causation. This can be done through morphological or syntactic means, resulting in constructions that express causation of causation.
Morphological Layering:
Arabic allows for the combination of causative forms to express more complex ideas, such as causative of causatives.
Example:
كتب (kataba) – “He wrote.”
كتّب (kattaba) – “He made someone write.”
تكتيب (taktiib) – “He made someone make someone write.”
The third form, taktiib, involves a causative of a causative, where the subject causes an intermediary (causee) to cause another party (secondary causee) to perform the action.
Syntactic Layering:
A layered causative can also be expressed syntactically, using multiple verbs to convey different levels of causation.
Example:
جعلت المدير يأمر الموظف أن يكتب (jaʿaltu al-mudiir ya’muru al-muwaẓẓaf ‘an yaktuba) – “I made the manager order the employee to write.”
This sentence expresses a layered causative structure: The subject causes the manager (the intermediary) to cause the employee to perform the action of writing.
Conclusion
Causative constructions in Arabic reflect the language’s rich system of verb morphology and syntactic flexibility. The primary method for expressing causative is through morphological derivation, where verbs are altered to indicate that the subject causes the action to occur. Form II and Form IV are the most common causative forms, while Form III can also express causation in certain contexts. Additionally, periphrastic causative using auxiliary verbs like جعل (to make) and أمر (to order) offer another method for expressing causation, particularly in more complex sentences. Finally, the ability to layer causative both morphologically and syntactically adds an extra level of complexity to Arabic, allowing speakers to express nuanced cause-effect relationships.
