This parameter addresses person marking (PM) of the agent (A) on transitive verbs[1]. The examples chosen use verbs of conscious, willful action and can be examined for first, second, and third person. Marking refers to morphological marking, regardless of what morphological strategy is used.[2] In order to determine whether a given language marks A through verbal agreement, the circumstances in which the marking of A on the verb occurs must be considered, with the evaluation of when such marking if at all, is required.

Types:

NoPM: Person marking of the agent is not marked morphologically on the verb.

PM: Person marking of the agent is marked on the verb (through verbal agreement) regardless of whether the agent is, or could be, expressed by a full noun or a pronoun.

PMN: Person marking of the agent is only marked on the verb (through verbal agreement) if the agent is a noun explicit in the sentence.[3]

PMnotN: Person marking of the agent is only marked on the verb (through verbal agreement) if the agent is not a noun explicit in the sentence.[4]

PMnon3: Person marking of the agent is only marked on the verb (through verbal agreement) for first- or second-person agents.[5]

[1] An agent (A) is the active, conscious, and intentional doer of a verb.

[2] Morphological marking includes the use of non-independent person pronouns or clitics that attach to a word or phrase other than the verb. To be considered an independent pronoun, a pronoun must be able to appear in functions other than verbal agreement.

[3] It is not marked if A is expressed with an independent pronoun.

[4] If A is an independent pronoun or does not appear as an independent element in the sentence at all

[5] It is not marked if A is expressed with a noun (understood to be third person), or if it does not appear but is understood to be third person. This parameter is only applicable to those languages that consistently mark third person – and only third-person agreement – with a zero morpheme.