Cognate Object

Cognate Object :


A verb that is regularly intransitive sometimes takes as object a noun whose meaning closely resembles its own.

A noun in this construction is called the cognate object of the verb and is in the objective case.

1. He ran a race.
2. The mayor coughed a dubious, insinuating cough.
3. A scornful laugh laughed he.
4. The trumpeter blew a loud blast.
5. She sleeps the sleep of death.

Note : Cognate means kindred or related. The cognate object repeats the idea of the verb, often with some modification and may be classed as an adverbial modifier. Its difference from the direct object may be seen by contrasting (The blacksmith struck the anvil.) with (The blacksmith struck a mighty blow.) (cf. “struck mightily”).

Cognate Object :

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