Alternation ‘Instrumental subject alternation’ (Uncoded)

An instrument used in a certain transitive action (such as in 'John hit the fence with a stick') and expressed as an adjunct to the related verb becomes the subject of the clause: 'The stick hit the fence'. Thus the former agent of the action is removed and becomes implicit. Some verbs require modification by a prefix in order to participate in this alternation. A different construction involves the instrumental use within an impersonal construction with a suppressed Agent (vodoj zalilo polja [water-INSTR poured fields-ACC] ‘the water poured into the filelds/the filelds filled with water'). Yet, the latter construction is productive with transitive verbs if speaking about uncontrolled force (which might but need not be expressed by an instrumental phrase).