Restrictiveness in Case Theory [Paperback]

Henry Smith develops a theory of syntactic case, examining its synchronic and diachronic consequences.Henry Smith here develops a theory of syntactic case and examines its synchronic and diachronic consequences. Within a unification-based framework, the book draws out pervasive patterns in the relationship between morphosyntax 'linking' and grammatical function. Beginning with a detailed study of dative substitution in Icelandic, the author moves on to examine a wide array of synchronic and diachronic data and to construct a typology of case.Henry Smith here develops a theory of syntactic case and examines its synchronic and diachronic consequences. Within a unification-based framework, the book draws out pervasive patterns in the relationship between morphosyntax 'linking' and grammatical function. Beginning with a detailed study of dative substitution in Icelandic, the author moves on to examine a wide array of synchronic and diachronic data and to construct a typology of case.Henry Smith develops a theory of syntactic case and examines its synchronic and diachronic consequences. Within a unification-based framework, he draws out pervasive patterns in the relationship between morphosyntax linking and grammatical function. Beginning with a detailed study of dative substitution in Icelandic, the author moves on to examine a wide array of synchronic and diachronic data and to construct a typology of case.Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. Argument case and case alternations; 3. A typology of case systems; 4. Linker interactions; 5. Icelandic; 6. Changes in linking; 7. Case semi-preservation; 8. Conclusions; Notes; References; Index.