Case in Nanosyntax

Michal Starke (University of Tromsø)

Abstract  

In this talk, I will overview several strands of work - about case, nominal classes, agreement and prepositions - triggered by a new approach to syntax, nanosyntax. We will start with a quick background on nanosyntax (Starke 2001, 2009), followed by an overview of a novel approach to case based on syncretism patterns among case morphemes (Caha 2009, Pancheva 2010). This will lead us to the first sustained empirical argument to the features and structures making up case -- a central issue to theoretical syntax. From there, if time allows, we will branch into various issues in nominal structures spawned by this line of thinking, eg. a new angle on nominal classes (Taraldsen 2009).