causativocausativa

Causativocausativa is a term used in linguistics to describe a double or recursive causative construction, where a causative meaning is applied to a verb that already carries a causative interpretation. In other words, it refers to a scene in which causation operates at two levels: an agent causes another to cause an event to happen.

The phenomenon can be realized in different ways. In languages with explicit morphology, a double causative may be formed by stacking two causative morphemes on a verb stem. In analytic systems, it can be built with a sequence of causative verbs or auxiliary-like elements, such as have, make, or cause, sometimes combined with a clause in which the embedded verb itself expresses causation. The result is a stronger or more complex causal projection than a single causative.

Semantically, causativocausativa encodes higher-order causation. It often implies that the outer cause aims to bring about a second causal act performed by another participant, or that the outcome requires a second layer of agency or control. The interpretation can be sensitive to aspect, voice, and the relationship between the involved participants, and it may differ across languages.

Cross-linguistic distribution is variable. Some languages allow genuine affixal or periphrastic double causatives, while others approximate the idea with multi-clause structures, serial verb constructions, or causative verbs plus embedded clauses. The phenomenon is of interest in studies of event structure, causation, and the interaction between morphology and syntax.

Examples (illustrative): The manager made the assistant cause the report to be written. The director had the secretary cause the client to sign the contract. Such phrases illustrate a layering of causation across two levels. See also causative, causativization, double object construction.