Editing Reflexive verb (section)

{{Short description|Verb whose direct object is the same as its subject}}{{Transitivity and Valency}}
In [[grammar]], a '''reflexive verb''' is, loosely, a [[verb]] whose [[direct object]] is the same as its [[subject (grammar)|subject]], for example, "I wash myself". More generally, a reflexive verb has the same semantic [[Theta role|agent and patient]] (typically represented syntactically by the subject and the direct object). For example, the English verb ''to perjure'' is reflexive, since one can only perjure ''oneself''. In a wider sense, the term refers to any verb form whose [[grammatical object]] is a [[reflexive pronoun]], regardless of semantics; such verbs are also more broadly referred to as '''pronominal verbs''', especially in the grammar of the [[Romance language]]s. Other kinds of pronominal verbs are '''reciprocal''' (''they killed each other''), '''passive''' (''it is told''), '''subjective''', and '''idiomatic.''' The presence of the reflexive pronoun changes the meaning of a verb, e.g., [[Spanish language|Spanish]] {{lang|es|abonar}} {{gloss|to pay}}, {{lang|es|abonarse}} {{gloss|to subscribe}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lawlessspanish.com/grammar/verbs/idiomatic-pronominal-verbs/ |title=Idiomatic Pronominal Verbs |last1=Lawless |first1=Laura K |website=Lawless Spanish |access-date=January 19, 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

There are languages that have explicit [[morphology (linguistics)|morphology]] or syntax to transform a verb into a reflexive form. In many languages, reflexive constructions are rendered by [[transitive verb]]s followed by a reflexive pronoun, as in English ''-self'' (e.g., "She ''threw herself'' to the floor."). English employs reflexive derivation idiosyncratically as well, as in "self-destruct".