Impersonal Passive Voice - Venetian

Venetian

Venetian has the Impersonal passive voice, also called intransitive passive, since it is built from intransitive verbs. The verb parlar "to speak" is intransitive and takes an indirect object marked by a "to" or by co "with": although there is no direct object to be promoted to subject, the verb can be passivized becoming subjectless, i.e. impersonal. The usual auxiliary "to be" is employed, in the form xe "is" (with zero-dummy) or in the form gh'è "there is" (with gh'-dummy) depending on the local variety.

Xe stà parlà co Marco?

has DUMMY been spoken to Mark? = has someone spoken to Mark?

(Literally) "Is been spoken to Mark?"

Xe stà parlà de ti or Gh'è stà parlà de ti

DUMMY has been spoken about you = someone spoke about you

(Literally) "Is been spoken about you" or "there is been spoken about you"

Likewise, the verb tełefonar "to phone / to ring up" takes a dative indirect object in Venetian (marked by a "to"), still it is often used in the impersonal passive:

Xe stà tełefonà a Marco?

has DUMMY been phoned Mark? = has someone rung up Mark?

(Literally) "Is been phoned to Mark?"

Differently from German, the subject can be introduced only with the active voice:

Gavìo parlà co Marco?

have you spoken to Mark?

(Literally) "Have-you (pl.) spoken to Mark?"