<OT> New Posting: ROA-744

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 744-0605

Differential argument marking in two-term case systems and its implications for the general theory of case marking

Peter Arkadiev <alpgurev at gmail.com>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=744


Abstract:
In this paper I discuss data from Indo-Iranian and Uto-Aztecan
languages with only two cases, where some blatanlty 'non-discrimi
native' patterns of case marking of the core arguments emerge
due to the interaction of universal functional constraints.
I argue that a comprehensive OT conception of case marking
should take into account these phenomena, and outline such
an approach. I show that different patterns of argument
encoding are determined not only by the ranking of universal
constraints but also by the language particular inventory
of case markers.

Comments: Submitted to Helen de Hoop & Peter de Swart (eds.), Differential Subject Marking, to appear in Kluwer
Keywords: differential case marking, split ergativity, Indo-Iranian, Uto-Aztecan, distinguishability, functional motivation
Areas: Syntax, linguistic typology
Type: Book Chapter

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=744