Chapter 15 Voice and possibility
The causative ka
ka adds a causer: the subject brings about what another participant does or becomes.
With an intransitive verb, the original subject becomes the caused participant:
lopia nulae.
child sleep.
mia lopia ka nulae.
1SG child CAUS sleep.
With a transitive verb, the original object remains after the caused participant:
mia thia nophi ka theo.
1SG 2SG story CAUS read.
ka asserts a causal relation. The path may run through invitation, teaching, material support, pressure, or force. When that distinction affects consent or responsibility, the surrounding clauses must carry it.
Position and scope
The causative occupies the voice rank after tense and aspect:
| Phi | English |
|---|---|
mia thia to ka theo. | I caused you to read. |
mia thia so ka theo. | I will cause you to read. |
mia thia si ka theo. | I am in the process of causing you to read. |
mia thia ki ka theo. | I have completed the causing of your reading. |
Aspect describes the causing event, not the caused action. In mia thia si ka theo, si says that my causing is underway. If your reading has its own progress or habit, another clause gives that event its own aspect.
Within voice, se ka is the only pair and keeps that order. Voice precedes modality:
lopia se ka nulae. — The child is made to sleep.
mia lopia ka na nulae. — I must cause the child to sleep.
Negation after ka denies the causation itself:
mia lopia to ka ma nulae. — I did not cause the child to sleep.
This sentence does not say whether the child slept for another reason. Causing someone to refrain requires a verb that names the refraining or a second clause; particle order never moves.
Causing a state
An adjective enters a state with kelu and remains in one with nai. The causative applies to those predicates without turning the adjective into a verb:
lureko seroli kelu.
fruit mature become.
mia noru hiso ka kelu.
1SG bowl clean CAUS become.
mia lopia shena ka nai.
1SG child calm CAUS be.
Naming a causer can keep influence visible, especially where power is unequal. Responsibility may still be shared, authority disputed, and the attempted cause unsuccessful. ka opens the causal question. The evidence and relationship answer it.