On Non-Core Arguments and Dative Case in Polish

Małgorzata Krzek

Małgorzata Krzek Newcastle University

Keywords: Dative; Applicative Phrase; Voice Phrase; accusative; structural vs. inherent case

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the mechanics of the case assignment in Polish SIĘ construction with the overt dative nominal. It is argued that dative case on such nominals is assigned structurally by a high applicative head, not idiosyncratically by a lexical one. The preliminary analysis shows that most arguments carrying dative case in Polish display similar syntactic behavior with regards to e.g. passivization and control of depictive predicates. Due to their properties and to the way in which they are introduced into the structure, it is postulated that dative nominals should be best treated as the so-called non-core arguments that is arguments not selected by the verbal head. As for accusative case, it is assumed, following McFadden (2004), that its assignment hinges on the presence of another argument within the same phase to which structural case has been assigned. This other argument in the case of the SIĘ construction in question is the dative nominal.

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