A constraint-based typology of case systems

This dissertation proposes an Optimality-Theoretic (OT) account of case and examines its typological scope, with particular focus on Korean, Japanese, Icelandic, and Imbabura Quechua. The main proposal is that case systems may be defined as a dominance hierarchy of constraints which license particular cases with reference to the two-tiered system of semantic roles, thematic relations and macroroles, developed by Role and Reference Grammar (RRG).; The substantial portion of the dissertation follows in Chapters 3-6 after an introduction to OT and RRG in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 proposes a universal set of constraints for nominative, accusative, ergative, and dative case on the basis of critical examination of the previous RRG literature and defines the major case systems in terms of their re-ranking. It is also investigated how to extend the proposal to oblique cases with focus on instrumental case.; Chapters 4-6 apply the general theory of case outlined in Chapter 3 to a selected set of constructions.; Chapter 4 demonstrates that the association between thematic relations and macroroles serves as the basis for case assignment of psych verbs in Japanese and other languages in support of the claim that cases may be assigned in terms of a combination of thematic relations and macroroles.; Chapter 5 investigates case alternations exhibited by a variety of constructions which fall under the rubric of raising, subject-to-object raising and subject-to-subject raising constructions in Icelandic and possessor raising and light verb constructions in Korean. In particular, it is proposed that verbs may involve more than one logical structures when there are entailment relations among them. This allows us to incorporate multiple-nominative/accusative/dative case frames in possessor raising and light verb constructions in Korean.; Chapter 6 focuses on "case spreading" and "case stacking" in the four languages. It is proposed that they manifest a multiple association between thematic relations and macroroles, which follow the same set of principles used in autosegmental phonology and that these two phenomena are also amenable to the OT-based theory of case. Chapter 7 concludes this dissertation.