Encoding of Passive and Reflexive Constructions

The analysis of grammatical parameters’ encoding is a common field of study which tends to be one of the fastest-growing areas of linguistic typology. This type of analysis is used to compare and contrast different types of marking, as well as to examine the semantics and pragmatics of a particular diathesis. The research is devoted to marking of passive and reflexive constructions, via compiling and analyzing a sample of 49 languages from six macroareas (Southeast Asia and New Oceania, Australia and New Guinea, North America, South America, Africa, Eurasia). The study suggests that sometimes encoding of passive and reflexive can be marked on the same morpheme, resulting in syncretism, or polysemy, of these categories. The semantics of polysemy is discussed, respectively. Other types of syncretism of passive and reflexive separately are taken into account, e.g. syncretism of reflexive and reciprocal or passive and potential. As a result, the semantic reasons behind the polysemy of the markers are determined.