Definition of inchoative in English:
inchoative
adjective ɪnˈkəʊətɪvɪnˈkoʊədɪv
Grammar Denoting an aspect of a verb expressing the beginning of an action, typically one occurring of its own accord.
Compare with ergative
Example sentencesExamples
- A hundred and forty years later, the inchoative generalization of the verb has shown up in the New York Times.
- However, there are some positively evaluated conditions in common inchoative collocations with go: go live, go platinum, go blonde.
noun ɪnˈkəʊətɪvɪnˈkoʊədɪv
An inchoative verb.
Example sentencesExamples
- An important defining feature of perfectivizing prefixation in Russian is the use of po- to signal the relative change of state in inchoatives as well as the indefinite temporal delimitation of atelic activities.
- The fact that some idioms are restricted to causatives, while others are restricted to inchoatives, lends new support to the view that the two derivations are distinct.
- It is argued however that the Hebrew inchoatives do not create any problems to the LMH.
- For anticausativization, I review recent arguments suggesting that derived inchoatives have causative semantics as part of their lexical representation, consistent with the MH.
- Is he saying that our genes have been programmed by evolution to resist inchoatives that involve becoming lost?
Definition of inchoative in US English:
inchoative
adjectiveinˈkōədivɪnˈkoʊədɪv
Grammar Denoting an aspect of a verb expressing the beginning of an action, typically one occurring of its own accord. In many English verbs, inchoative uses alternate systematically with causative uses.
Compare with ergative
Example sentencesExamples
- A hundred and forty years later, the inchoative generalization of the verb has shown up in the New York Times.
- However, there are some positively evaluated conditions in common inchoative collocations with go: go live, go platinum, go blonde.
nouninˈkōədivɪnˈkoʊədɪv
An inchoative verb.
Example sentencesExamples
- An important defining feature of perfectivizing prefixation in Russian is the use of po- to signal the relative change of state in inchoatives as well as the indefinite temporal delimitation of atelic activities.
- It is argued however that the Hebrew inchoatives do not create any problems to the LMH.
- The fact that some idioms are restricted to causatives, while others are restricted to inchoatives, lends new support to the view that the two derivations are distinct.
- For anticausativization, I review recent arguments suggesting that derived inchoatives have causative semantics as part of their lexical representation, consistent with the MH.
- Is he saying that our genes have been programmed by evolution to resist inchoatives that involve becoming lost?