On the Verb Condition for Affectee

Abstract

This paper argues for a syntactic approach to the distribution of Affectee. Although its distribution seems to receive a natural explanation in terms of the notion of change of state in the face of the data from Japanese and English, it is argued that change of state is not a significant notion and that a Case-theoretic approach best captures the distribution. Evidence in favor of such an approach comes from a variety of languages where Affectee appears as a so-called possessor dative.