Definition & Meaning of "antipassive voice"

What is the "antipassive voice"?

The antipassive voice is a grammatical construction that reduces the valency of a verb, meaning it lowers the number of arguments it requires. In this voice, the object of a transitive verb is either omitted or made less prominent, while the subject remains the focus. This structure is commonly found in some languages to emphasize the action or the subject rather than the object. For example, in an antipassive construction, instead of saying "The chef cooks the meal," one might say "The chef cooks," omitting the meal and focusing on the chef's action. The antipassive voice is useful for highlighting the subject's role in an action while downplaying or eliminating the direct object.