Case assignment in double object constructions

• Main Author: Vázquez Iglesias, Elisa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad de Alicante 1997-11-01
• Series: Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses
• Online Access: https://raei.ua.es/article/view/1997-n10-case-assignment-in-double-object-constructions

This paper analyzes how case assignment takes place in double object constructions in English. It has been claimed in the literature that case could be either structural or inherent. I will provide some evidence showing that this distinction is problematic under certain circumstances. In this sense, I will suggest three different possibilities to unify these two processes of case assignment. In the first place, I will consider unification through PP-movement, which seems to work well if we allow different subcategorizations of the same verb. In the second place, I will focus on unification through Inherent Case, pointing out that it cannot account for some of the data presented in this paper. Finally, I will discuss and give arguments for the unification through Structural case.