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In:The Ziggurat of Grammar: In honor of Ur Shlonsky
Edited by Lena Baunaz, Giuliano Bocci and Andrew Nevins
[Language Faculty and Beyond 20] 2025
► pp. 252–278

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Chapter 13
The DP-internal origin of datives

 | New York University
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Published online: 13 November 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/lfab.20.13kay
Abstract
In this paper, I argue (without attempting to look at the entire range of datives) that, in DOC sentences, datives are moved (internally merged) into what we think of as their canonical DOC position. If this is correct, then the movement tradition of the 1960s will have turned out to be more on the right track (in that respect) than the applicative tradition. More generally, I pursue the idea that no dative argument is externally merged into its visible position. And, more specifically, that all dative arguments without exception originate DP-internally. The discussion takes into account possessor raising and French causatives, as well as dative arguments that are locative and dative arguments that are temporals.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Some datives are clearly DP-internal
  • 3.Datives that originate within DP and then move out
  • 4.Some other datives
  • 5.The definiteness effect
  • 6.Possessor raising
  • 7.French causatives
  • 8.Other cases of DP-internal origin
  • 9.Back to the DP-internal question and French causatives
  • 10.Dative case
  • 11.Sources
  • 12.Clitics
  • 13.Dative arguments that are locative
  • 14.Temporals
  • 15.Modals
  • 16.Psych-verbs
  • 17.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (72)
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