Page 100 - JAPN2004
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2 Passive with a direct object or with an intransitive verb: “adversity/affective passive”
Japanese speakers often avoid singling out an individual responsible for a certain action. What they prefer is to express consequences of individual actions to other people by the use of auxiliary verbs. Constructions such as 〜てくる, 〜てあげる, and 〜てくれる serve this function. A unique use of the passive construction also serves this purpose; it means that the (human) subject is emotionally affected by someone’s action (often adversely).
1. 父がぼくの日記(にっき)を読んだ。+ I was upset. ⇨ (ぼくは)父に日記を読まれた。
My father read my diary (and I was upset).
2. こいびと(sweetheart)がせんそう(war)でしんだ。+ I was heartbroken. ⇨ (私は)こいびとにせんそうでしなれた。
3. お金をとられた。
4. 新聞に悪いことを書かれた。 5. 母に電話の話を聞かれた。
Lesson 23C-Page 690
