How can this intransitive verb be used transitively here?


The sentence in question:

> 中には、おんぶを怖がる子どももいます

[Full
context](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/web_tokushu/2018_0521.html?utm_int=news_contents_tokushu_004)

My attempt at translation: "On average, there are also children which fear
piggybackriding".

In [the jisho
translation](https://jisho.org/search/%E4%B8%AD%E3%81%AB%E3%81%AF%E3%80%81%E3%81%8A%E3%82%93%E3%81%B6%E3%82%92%E6%80%96%E3%81%8C%E3%82%8B%E5%AD%90%E3%81%A9%E3%82%82%E3%82%82%E3%81%84%E3%81%BE%E3%81%99),
怖がる is described as intransitive. Since を is used, I assume theres a
transitive use in front of us though. Is Jisho wrong here or is this a regular
"ambiguity" in contemporary japanese grammar?




I believe 怖がる is a transitive verb. 明鏡国語辞典 lists it as a 他動詞:

> こわがる【怖がる（▿恐がる）】〘 **他** 五〙

[中]{なか}には means "among (them)". 中には～～もいる/ある means "Some of them ~~".

> 中にはパイロットになった者もいた。 Some of them became pilots.  
>  (from Shogakukan's _Progressive J-E Dictionary_ )

So your example can translate to:

> "Among the children (in 久宝まぶねこども園), some are scared of riding piggyback."  
>  "Some of the children (in the nursery) are scared of riding piggyback."




I believe 怖がる is a transitive verb. 明鏡国語辞典 lists it as a 他動詞:

> こわがる【怖がる（▿恐がる）】〘 **他** 五〙

[中]{なか}には means "among (them)". 中には～～もいる/ある means "Some of them ~~".

> 中にはパイロットになった者もいた。 Some of them became pilots.  
>  (from Shogakukan's _Progressive J-E Dictionary_ )

So your example can translate to:

> "Among the children (in 久宝まぶねこども園), some are scared of riding piggyback."  
>  "Some of the children (in the nursery) are scared of riding piggyback."

