Chapter 4. A macrorole approach to dative subjects
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Patrick Farrell
Abstract
The arguments of certain Spanish verbs of psychological experience exhibit morphosyntactic properties similar to those of Germanic “oblique subject” verbs, as described, for example, in Barðdal (2001) and Barðdal & Eythórsson (2005). In this article, we show how the behavior of dative experiencers looks neither “quirky” nor “non-canonical” when grammatical privilege is accounted for directly in terms of semantic macroroles in the sense of Role and Reference Grammar (Van Valin 2005), provided that the standard set of Actor (A) and Undergoer (U) macroroles is augmented to include a third, i.e., Receptor (R), that corresponds roughly to Fillmore’s (1968) Dative category of semantic case and the Relational Grammar indirect object relation (Perlmutter 1984). Adding R to the set of macroroles enables us to account straightforwardly for the subject and non-subject properties of dative experiencers in Spanish, as well as parallel properties of possessor/recipient arguments across construction types, without having anything hinge either on dative case per se or on the notion of subject.
Abstract
The arguments of certain Spanish verbs of psychological experience exhibit morphosyntactic properties similar to those of Germanic “oblique subject” verbs, as described, for example, in Barðdal (2001) and Barðdal & Eythórsson (2005). In this article, we show how the behavior of dative experiencers looks neither “quirky” nor “non-canonical” when grammatical privilege is accounted for directly in terms of semantic macroroles in the sense of Role and Reference Grammar (Van Valin 2005), provided that the standard set of Actor (A) and Undergoer (U) macroroles is augmented to include a third, i.e., Receptor (R), that corresponds roughly to Fillmore’s (1968) Dative category of semantic case and the Relational Grammar indirect object relation (Perlmutter 1984). Adding R to the set of macroroles enables us to account straightforwardly for the subject and non-subject properties of dative experiencers in Spanish, as well as parallel properties of possessor/recipient arguments across construction types, without having anything hinge either on dative case per se or on the notion of subject.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Introduction 1
-
Part I. Areal/geneological investigations
- Chapter 2. Non-nominative and depersonalized subjects in the Balkans 23
- Chapter 3. Affective constructions in Tsezic languages 55
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Part II. Synchronic investigations
- Chapter 4. A macrorole approach to dative subjects 85
- Chapter 5. Dative case and oblique subjects 115
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Part III. Diachronic investigations
- Chapter 6. Word order as a subject test in Old Icelandic 135
- Chapter 7. The diachrony of non-canonical subjects in Northwest Semitic 155
- Chapter 8. Case marking of predicative possession in Vedic 181
- Chapter 9. Accusative sickness? 213
-
Afterword
- Chapter 10. Forty years in the search of a/the subject 241
- Chapter 11. What is a subject 257
- Language index 275
- Subject Index 277
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Introduction 1
-
Part I. Areal/geneological investigations
- Chapter 2. Non-nominative and depersonalized subjects in the Balkans 23
- Chapter 3. Affective constructions in Tsezic languages 55
-
Part II. Synchronic investigations
- Chapter 4. A macrorole approach to dative subjects 85
- Chapter 5. Dative case and oblique subjects 115
-
Part III. Diachronic investigations
- Chapter 6. Word order as a subject test in Old Icelandic 135
- Chapter 7. The diachrony of non-canonical subjects in Northwest Semitic 155
- Chapter 8. Case marking of predicative possession in Vedic 181
- Chapter 9. Accusative sickness? 213
-
Afterword
- Chapter 10. Forty years in the search of a/the subject 241
- Chapter 11. What is a subject 257
- Language index 275
- Subject Index 277
