The No Case Generalization

This paper argues that syntax has no case features, case instead being an interpretative feature or features operative in the PF morphology of individual languages, where it overtly distinguishes between arguments (or NPs). The paper also argues that the non-syntactic nature of case is to be expected, given Non-Isomorphism, that is, the fundamental non-isomorphic nature of the derivation. Nonetheless, the different PF case-marking strategies in different languages operate on the basis of common syntactic matching relations, including matching of Voice and marked v (v*, v**). The dependency of structural accusative upon structural nominative (the Sibling Correlation/Burzio’s Generalization) is accounted for in terms of double versus single Voice matching.

Published online: 14 May 2009
https://doi.org/10.1075/la.141.11the