Two representations of case: Evidence from numerals and relatives

Abstract

This paper highlights a fundamental tension between the representations required for case syncretism versus the representations required for case priority. Case syncretism is captured with a feature decomposition based on the patterns established in Caha 2009. However, a different decomposition is required for case priority relations, which are instantiated in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS) numeral constructions and in BCS and German relative constructions. The paper proposes that this conflict can be resolved by introducing two levels of representation into the case system: priority is determined by set structures in the syntax, while syncretism is analyzed following a post-syntactic unification operation.