In this article we compare two different approaches to Sakha passives. On the one hand, we consider how passives are treated in functional grammar.
On the other hand, we discuss passives from a generative grammar viewpoint, particularly, how passivization is treated within the framework of Theta System. We show that within the functional grammar framework the category of the passive forms a functional semantic field which encompasses all constructions displaying passive semantics, regardless of the morphological makeup of the predicate. The field consists of the centre and the periphery. The centre includes three types of passive constructions whose predicate is marked with the regular passive morpheme. The periphery contains two types of constructions where the predicate does not bear the passive affix – causative passive constructions and object relative participial clauses. On the contrary, the generative grammar entertains a much narrower, formally restricted view of the category of the passive.
Passive is considered to result from the application of the lexical argument structure operation – saturation which is morphologically reflected by the regular passive affix.