Can the passive agent be gapped?


Can the passive agent be gapped in a relative clause? I mean, can the head of
a relative clause be the passive agent (the word that would be marked by に)?




Yes, as long as the subject (patient) is animate.

> 私が叱られた先生 _the teacher I was scolded by_  
>  私が財布を盗まれた泥棒 _the thief I had my wallet stolen by_  
>  私が降られた雨 _the rain I got caught in_ (indirect passive)

Note that, however, the core meaning of the Japanese passive is telling the
subject's status being affected by others' action. Thus if you don't have
intention to focus on the passive patient (like simply changing the subject),
you should keep using the active voice.

> 私を叱った先生  
>  （私の）財布を盗んだ泥棒

Passive with inanimate subject is a marginal usage in Japanese and doesn't
have this perk. Usually they don't even mark the agent with に.

> この作家がこの本を書いた  
>  この作家 **によって** この本が書かれた  
>  この作家が書いた本  
>  この作家によって書かれた本  
>  × この本が書かれた作家




Yes, as long as the subject (patient) is animate.

> 私が叱られた先生 _the teacher I was scolded by_  
>  私が財布を盗まれた泥棒 _the thief I had my wallet stolen by_  
>  私が降られた雨 _the rain I got caught in_ (indirect passive)

Note that, however, the core meaning of the Japanese passive is telling the
subject's status being affected by others' action. Thus if you don't have
intention to focus on the passive patient (like simply changing the subject),
you should keep using the active voice.

> 私を叱った先生  
>  （私の）財布を盗んだ泥棒

Passive with inanimate subject is a marginal usage in Japanese and doesn't
have this perk. Usually they don't even mark the agent with に.

> この作家がこの本を書いた  
>  この作家 **によって** この本が書かれた  
>  この作家が書いた本  
>  この作家によって書かれた本  
>  × この本が書かれた作家

