dative & accusative subjects

[llama_nom]

--- In gothic-l at yahoogroups.com, David Kiltz <derdron at g...> wrote:
>  
> Germanic languages feature a certain kind of 'impersonal'  
> construction with rather complex underlying linguistic structures  
> (such as agentivity, focus etc.). There is a good deal of 
oscilation  
> between the use of accusative and dative in such cases. However, it  
> doesn't seem to be arbitrary but, at least to my sensitivity as a  
> native speaker of German, there are subtle differences in meaning.  
> Roughly speaking, the accusative indicates a more active 
involvement  
> of the logical subject. Personally, although it's 'mir träumt' in  
> German, I'd go for an accusative as well.


In Modern Icelandic there's a frowned-upon tendency 
(called 'þágufallssýki' "dative sickness") to use the dative with some 
verbs that traditionally took an accusative subject.  Especially where 
there are synonyms or near synonyms that do traditionally have a 
dative subject.  Maybe the dative is favoured because it's the more 
common oblique subject.

Interesting comment about accusative indicating a more active 
involvement.  Possible exception: verbs to do with suffering pain or 
deprivation.  In Icelandic: hunger, thirst, sickness, ticklishness, 
lack, want, desire.  In Gothic: hunger, thirst, care/concern.  
Icelandic: mér er kald, NHG mir ist (es) kalt "I´m cold" (i.e. I feel 
cold); but with a more serious affliction, Icelandic: mig 
kell/kelur "I freeze, get frostbitten".

Llama Nom






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