[b-greek] Re: 5 Case v. 8 Case

From: Mark Beatty (marksresearch@hawaii.rr.com)
Date: Wed Oct 18 2000 - 12:29:41 EDT


As to case and function: Has anyone considered arguing more than 8
functions. Simon Wong (1997) A classification of Semantic Case-Relations in
the Pauline Epistles suggests fourteen "cases".

Or, if we are to go on historic morphological forms, has anyone considered
using Tocharian as the base? It has 13 distinct case forms. Or, we could
combine the Dative and Genitive (as in Modern Greek) and say that Greek only
has 4 distinct cases.

A solution to this dilemma is to recognize that forms are limited and
functions are many. In many syntactic frameworks, "case functions" are not
called "case functions" but something else such as "theta roles". Such
terminology is helpful in confusing the ideas of "functional case" and
"morphological case".

Mark Beatty


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