Proto-Properties and Grammatical Encoding A Correspondence Theory of Argument Selection

Proto-Properties and Grammatical Encoding develops a comprehensive proto-property theory of argument encoding based on the work of David Dowty. Such a theory is intended to cover much of the empirical ground of mapping/linking theories in identifying the principles of correspondence between the lexical semantics of predicators and the relational and case encodings of their arguments. In this theory, Farrell Ackerman and John Moore identify two basic strategies for the organization of lexical information and demonstrate how these two strategies yield widespread patterns of regularity in the lexical information associated with predicators cross-linguistically. In particular, they consider the psych predicates, causatives, so-called "dative subjects," and object encoding in Finnic.

Farrell Ackerman is professor of linguistics and director of the Human Development Program at the University of California, San Diego.