Indirect Objects in Passive Sentences (Is に Ambiguous)


For verbs that typically use に in the dative sense (indirect object) like 送る
(for example 手紙を先生に送った), is there any ambiguity in the function of に when the
verb is used in the passive? For example, take the following sentences?

  1. 手紙が先生に送られた。

  2. 手紙を先生に送られた。

Can sentence 1 mean either "The letter was sent by the teacher" or "The letter
was sent to the teacher"? Is one more likely based on how it was said (maybe a
native would have intentionally used によって or something to clarify)?

Can sentence 2 mean "I was unfortunately sent a letter by my teacher" or "A
letter was sent to the teacher and it indirectly impacted me"?




> 「手紙が先生に送られた。」
>
> Can sentence 1 mean either "The letter was sent by the teacher" or "The
> letter was sent to the teacher"?

It can only mean "The letter was sent to the teacher". To express "The letter
was sent by the teacher", a direct translation would be 「手紙が先生によって送られた。」, but
this is extremely awkward; it is way more natural to say 「手紙が先生から送られてきた。」

> 「手紙を先生に送られた。」
>
> Can sentence 2 mean "I was unfortunately sent a letter by my teacher" or "A
> letter was sent to the teacher and it indirectly impacted me"?

It can only mean "I was unfortunately sent a letter by my teacher". To express
"A letter was sent to the teacher and it indirectly impacted me", it would be
「先生に手紙が送られ(てしまっ)た」。




> 「手紙が先生に送られた。」
>
> Can sentence 1 mean either "The letter was sent by the teacher" or "The
> letter was sent to the teacher"?

It can only mean "The letter was sent to the teacher". To express "The letter
was sent by the teacher", a direct translation would be 「手紙が先生によって送られた。」, but
this is extremely awkward; it is way more natural to say 「手紙が先生から送られてきた。」

> 「手紙を先生に送られた。」
>
> Can sentence 2 mean "I was unfortunately sent a letter by my teacher" or "A
> letter was sent to the teacher and it indirectly impacted me"?

It can only mean "I was unfortunately sent a letter by my teacher". To express
"A letter was sent to the teacher and it indirectly impacted me", it would be
「先生に手紙が送られ(てしまっ)た」。

