The noncausal–causal alternation, the psych alternation, and the undirected–directed alternation

Abstract The first section of this chapter puts forward some introductory remarks on the alternations discussed in the remainder of the chapter. Section 16.2 deals with the noncausal–causal alternation in general, and also more specifically with the unaccusative–transitive alternation. Section 16.3 discusses the psych alternation defined as the relationship between verbs expressing psychological processes triggered by stimuli with the stimulus as the perspectival center, and verbs expressing the same psychological processes with the experiencer as the perspectival center. Section 16.4 deals with the undirected–directed alternation in general, and also more specifically with the unergative–transitive alternation. Section 16.5 examines the possibility that the same markers are shared by the unaccusative–transitive and unergative–transitive alternations.