Ambitransitive
Ambitransitive verbs can be used with or without an argument in the object position.
Perceptive Verbs
These verbs deal with the subject’s ability to perceive stimuli.
When used purely intransitively, i.e.: with no direct or dative object, they refer to a general ability to use that sense:
“The blind person can now see.”
When used with a direct object, this denotes a conscious effort at perception:
“The audience watched the screen.”
When used with a dative object, this instead lacks that effort:
Mihu kulasidaxi ju’isataduru ’usa.
。みほくわせだしよいさたどるうさ。
mihu ku-lasida-xi ju’isatadu-ru ’usa.
3ani;int dat-secret-seem conversation-ger see.
“She saw the secret meeting.”
Communicative Verbs
The communication itself is the object, and the recipient is dative.
“The king sang to the queen.”
Indirect speech is signified by a complement object. As with any complement, the topic of the inner clause is the same as the outer clause.
Kimilli jusi ’i li (su’a) lu’i lulani ru.
。きみっえよせいえすあをいをわにる。
kimilli jusi ’i li (su’a) lu’i lulani ru.
king 3ani;dat speak com (3top) love queen prs;gno.
“The king told her he loved the queen.”
Kimilli jusi ’i li mihu lu’i lulani ru.
。きみっえよせいえみほを'いをわにる。
kimilli jusi ’i li mihu lu’i lulani ru.
king 3ani;dat speak com 3ani;int love queen prs;gno
“The king told her she loved the queen.”
Normally, the manner of communication forms a compound with the main verb.
Taʔanissa ba’u ’i’issi li filli ku’ahatilaru dissukillu nagi.
。たっあにっさばういいっせえべっえくあはてわるでっすきっをなぎ。
taʔanissa ba’u ’i’issi li filli ku-’ahatilaru dissu-ka-illu nagi.
musician 2dat sing com 2int dat-anniversary feel-abv-psv fut;sta
“The musician sang for you to have a happy birthday.”
If a particular compound is not common, the manner of communication can become an adverb, i.e.: placed as an object noun, after the complement.
Mihu ’i li pa xiciri ru xuʔa.
。みほいえぱしちりるずっあ。
3ani;int speak com 3ina;int be_funny prs;gno smile
“It was funny, she smiled.”
Directly reported communication is separated from the main clause by a comma, and may be put on either side. In this case, the recipient may be in either the object position or dative. This argument structure can also be used without a specific communication.
“The king said ‘hello’ / spoke to the queen.”