Passive-transitive-verb vs. Intransitive-verb （他動詞の受け身 vs. 自動詞)


I think I know the answer to this, but it still creeps up in my mind all the
time; something I'd like to research more. I want to know technical
differences as well as common usage.

When do you use the passive form of a transitive verb versus just using the
intransitive verb?? For example, 教【おし】えられる versus 教【おそ】わる.

Amaze me with your answers!




Generally, the difference between a transitive phrase and ukemi transitive
phrase is emphasis. For example:

[code]

    ①　田中さんが村田さんに他動詞の使い方を教えた。
    ②　村田さんは田中さんに他動詞の使い方を教えられた。
    ③　村田さんは他動詞の使い方を田中さんから教わった。
    
[/code]

The first sentence (transitive) is very much focused on 田中さん. 村田さん is only
mentioned because he's involved with the action that 田中さん is performing.

The second (ukemi) and third (intransitive) sentences here is more focused on
村田さん. We're talking about 村田さん's circumstances primarily; we could even remove
the 田中さんに or 田中さんから phrases, and still have a sensible sentence. However, with
教えられた, there is a sense that someone's actively teaching. You might find 教わった
more used in situations where, eg, you learned something from TV or a book; in
these cases 教えられた would not be appropriate:

[code]

    ×　私は他動詞の使い方を本に教えられた。
    ○　私は他動詞の使い方を本から教わった。
    
[/code]

