Voice distinctions

The category of voice in Modern Hebrew is perceived in the current study as displaying a set of oppositions between two or three binyanim (templates) for a single consonantal root, instantiating different argument structures that do not affect the inventory of semantic roles characterizing a given root as a lexical entry. These oppositions, once established, are examined for the complementary functional distribution of their members in a variety of contexts in written Hebrew. Although the semantic relationships between the binyanim are frequently unpredictable, the data show that systematic form-function oppositions can nonetheless be distinguished, denoting subtle voice distinctions as well as different degrees of argument participation in the event. These oppositions can play an important role in the text.