Using data from linguistic corpora, this book is a comprehensive guide to the fast-moving field of Discourse Syntax, the study of syntax in the context of discourse. Geared towards intermediate to advanced students of English linguistics, it is also essential reading for researchers in the field.
This book analyzes the English passive from a verb-based perspective, positing that its various surface forms share a common source influenced by the syntactic properties of verbs and general syntactic principles. Each element of the passive construction is examined, with the participle identified as the defining component. The existence of an implicit argument, typically an agent, is emphasized, asserting that it is represented at the argument structure level, distinguishing the passive from other patient-subject constructions. A review of syntax, language acquisition, and psycholinguistics data reveals that the implicit agent is more than a conceptual argument. A corpus-based case study on passive usage in academic writing finds that 20-25% of passives occur in constructions that do not require an auxiliary, challenging previous corpus studies focused solely on full be-passives. Additionally, new active-voice constructions, such as "This paper argues...", are emerging and competing with the passive, reflecting changes in scientific discourse rhetoric. This work primarily appeals to linguists and graduate students in English syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.