2 - Dative Case

Summary

Chapter 2 is dedicated to dative case. It starts by listing a number of theta-roles with which dative case-marking is closely associated, such as recipient, benefactive, malefactive, goal and experiencer. Examples from different languages are provided. Additional uses of the dative are then discussed, such as: dative arguments of modal predicates, possessive dative, co-referential dative constructions (CDCs), ethical dative, affected dative and the use of the dative that creates a reduced agentivity effect. The discussion covers the arguments that are considered to constitute dative subjects, relates to the question of their syntactic status, and addresses certain subject case alternations. Syntactic and semantic analyses of the dative are then considered, including the empty preposition approach, the applicative head analyses, and accounts based on binary features, such as [+/−c] (causes change) and [+/−m] (mental state is relevant).