visszahatópasszív

Visszahatópasszív is a linguistic phenomenon found in the Hungarian language. It refers to a specific type of passive voice construction where the subject of the sentence is also the agent performing the action, but the verb form implies an external, unspecified agent. This creates a sense of the action happening by itself or as a natural consequence of the subject's state.

The visszahatópasszív is often formed using the suffix -ódik or -ődik attached to a verb stem. For example, the verb "törni" (to break) can form "törik" (it breaks, as if by itself). Similarly, "nyílni" (to open) can become "nyílik" (it opens). The subject here is the object that undergoes the change of state, but the verb form suggests that something external caused this change without specifying what.

This grammatical structure is distinct from the more common analytical passive in Hungarian, which uses the verb "van" (to be) and a past participle. The visszahatópasszív conveys a sense of inherent property or a process that unfolds naturally. It is frequently used to describe natural phenomena, inherent qualities, or events that occur without a direct, identifiable actor. The meaning can sometimes overlap with reflexive verbs, but the emphasis is on the external, impersonal nature of the cause.