TransWikia.com

To coil or fold or cause to coil or fold

English Language Learners Asked on December 2, 2021

TheFreeDictionary says about “convolute”:

intr. & tr.v.
To coil or fold or cause to coil or fold in overlapping whorls.

You can see that article here – convolute

Can you explain to me why there is not enough to say just “to coil or fold”, but there is also world “cause”? I mean why English people distinguish “to coil” and “cause to coil”?

2 Answers

It's a matter of what verb is being referenced. I.E. am I doing the [verb] or am I doing something that makes the object [verb] ?

"To coil" is as if I am doing the coiling. Example: "I coil the spaghetti."

"To cause to coil", I am not doing the coiling, but somehow it still coils. Example: "I boil water and cause the spaghetti to coil."

Answered by Tyler M on December 2, 2021

The word "fold" can be used in two ways:

I fold the bed. (transitive)

The bed folds for storage. (intranitive)

Such verbs are sometimes called ergative. The dictionary definition suggests that "convolute" can also be used both transitively or intransitively (but it is a rare word as a verb, it's more common as an adjective "convoluted")

Answered by James K on December 2, 2021

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP