Double object passives

If we have a verb taking both an indirect and a direct object, and when transforming the sentence into the passive voice we make the indirect object subject of the passive, is the direct object still such? For instance:

Active: They gave us an award. Passive: We were given an award.

Is "an award", grammatically speaking, still a direct object?

Solution 1:

There are several theoretical proposals to deal with this phenomenon. Here's the data to be accounted for:

1. The Academy awarded the trophy to Frank.
2. The Academy awarded Frank the trophy.
3. The trophy was awarded to Frank by the Academy.
4. The trophy was awarded by the Academy to Frank.
5. *Frank was awarded by the Academy the trophy.
6. Frank was awarded the trophy by the Academy.
7. ?The trophy was awarded Frank by the Academy.
8. *The trophy was awarded by the Academy Frank.

To begin with, (5) and (8) are ungrammatical, and many find (7) ungrammatical, preferring (3). The rest are unobjectionable.

Two transformations/processes/constructions/alternations/rules are involved here: Passive and Dative.

One simple solution is to say that both versions (1) and (2) -- the Dative alternation -- can have Passive operate on them. Then (3) or (4) would be the Passive of (1), while (6) would be the Passive of (2). This accounts for all the grammatical data without taking any position on the grammaticality of (7), which is in any event the least likely construction.

Of course to do this you have to promote Frank in (2) to Direct Object so that Passive can act on it, or else modify the Passive rule. Either way, it's an arbitrary decision.