Introduction

Abstract

This chapter introduces the phenomenon of ergativity, a term most commonly used to refer to systems with one or both of the following properties: (i) transitive subject (A arguments in (1)) pattern differently from intransitive subjects (S arguments) and from transitive objects (P arguments); and (ii) transitive objects and intransitive subjects pattern alike. The chapter then outlines the structure of the volume and introduces the chapters and the parts into which they are divided – accounting for ergativity; characteristics and extensions; approaches to ergativity; and case studies.