An Analysis of Passive Construction in Persian: A Cognitive Approach

This paper is an attempt to analyze the passive construction, based on Cognitive approach. In this respect, after introducing the theoretical concepts of this approach, authors try to compare it with Generative view. Within Generative framework, a formal and abstract relation is considered between passive and active constructions through the operation of transformational rules, yet from a Cognitive perspective such a direct relation between two mentioned constructions is refused, so considering basic concepts such as: figure, ground, construal, perspective and profile, a certain event can be reported in different ways with regards to conceptualization and the manner of cognitive process in the speaker’s mind. It is concluded that, the Cognitive approach is effective in analyzing the passive construction in Persian. So, the speaker would select the subject as the topic in active sentence, or the object in passive ones.