Demystifying dative: A study on Uralic

Financer institutionNemzeti Kutatási, Fejlesztési és Innovációs Hivatal

IDPD-146415
Domestic tenderInstitutional tender
Principal investigator:Irina Burukina, PhD

Email: irine.burukina@nytud.hun-ren.hu
Phone: +36 (1) 342-9372/6061

Principal investigator: Irina Burukina

The project examines the distribution of dative nominal phrases in Uralic, focusing on Mari, an endangered understudied language. Its ultimate goal is to offer a single uniform analysis of dative case. The project examines all dative constructions in modern Mari, from indirect objects to dative subjects, and answers the following questions: What is the category of dative dependents (PPs or NPs)? What is the status of dative: structural (grammatical) or inherent (semantic)? How is dative licensed, which theory can capture its distribution better – an agreement-based approach (traditional Case Theory) or a configurational approach (Dependent Case Theory)? The analysis will then be extended to other Uralic languages where dative is attested and beyond.

Participating researchers

Irina BURUKINA
research fellow