Semiintransitives

Semiintransitives are a category used in linguistic typology to describe verbs whose transitivity is not fixed to a single pattern. In languages that exhibit semiintransitives, a verb can appear in both intransitive and transitive constructions, but the two uses are constrained by semantic or syntactic factors. The intransitive form typically involves only the single core participant (the subject) and no explicit direct object, while the transitive use introduces an object or object-like element, often with additional marking on the verb or the case of the object.

Across languages, semiintransitives sit between clearly intransitive verbs (which take no direct object) and clearly transitive verbs (which require a direct object). The transitive variant may require specific contexts—such as certain aspectual shades, directional meanings, or causation—to appear, and the object in the transitive use can differ in its syntactic realization (direct object, prepositional phrase, or a marked oblique). Morphological markers, when present, can mark transitivity or valence changes, signaling whether the verb is being used intransitively or transitively.

Semiintransitives are related to broader concepts of valency and ditransitivity. They are often discussed alongside ambitransitives, causatives, and applicatives, as researchers seek to describe how verb meaning interacts with its arguments. Because the status of a verb as semiintransitive can be language-specific and context-dependent, there is no single universal definition or set of criteria. Descriptions typically emphasize variability in argument structure, restricted productivity of the transitive use, and the role of semantics in determining which construction is appropriate.

See also valency, transitivity, ambitransitive, causative, and applicative constructions.