Kagan Olga. Semantics of Genitive Objects in Russian: A Study of Genitive of Negation and Intensional Genitive Case

Springer, 2013. — 186 pages. — (Studies in Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 89). — ISBN: 978-94-007-5225-2.The genitive/accusative opposition in Slavic languages is a decades-old linguistic conundrum. Shedding new light on this perplexing object-case alternation in Russian, this volume analyzes two variants of genitive objects that alternate with accusative complements―the genitive of negation and the intensional genitive. The author contends that these variants are manifestations of the same phenomenon, and thus require an integrated analysis. Further, that the choice of case is sensitive to factors that fuse semantics and pragmatics, and that the genitive case is assigned to objects denoting properties at the same time as they lack commitment to existence. Kagan’s subtle analysis accounts for the complex relations between case-marking and other properties, such as definiteness, specificity, number and aspect. It also reveals a correlation between the genitive case and the subjunctive mood, and relates her overarching subject matter to other instances of differential object-marking.Non-Canonical Genitive: How Many Cases?
Genitive Objects and the Inherent/Structural Distinction
Three Subtypes of Non-canonical Genitive Case
Reorganization of the Subtypes of Non-canonical Genitive
Previously Proposed Accounts
The Configurational Approach
The Empty Quantifier Approach
Perspectival Center: Borschev and Partee
Intermediary Conclusion
Unaccusativity Hypothesis
Subjunctive Mood and the Notion of Commitment
Subjunctive Mood: An Introduction
Farkas (2003): The [+/Decided] Feature
Irrealis Genitive: Formulat ing the Analysi s
Non-semantic Factors
Analysis
Irrealis Genitive and Relative Existential Commitment: Part 1
Preview: The Importance of REC
Case-Assignment and the Strong/Weak Distinction
Irrealis Genitive with Weak Intensional Verbs
Individual Verbs
Syntactic ConstraintsIrrealis Genitive and Relative Existential Commitment: Part 2
Irrealis Genitive in Negative Contexts
Sensitivity to Existential Commitment
Subjunctive Mood and Irrealis Genitive: Shared Properties
The Interaction of Case with Aspect and Number
Aspect and Number Affect Case-Assignment
Aspect and Case-Assignment Under Negation
Genitive Case and Number
Irrealis Genitive in a Broader Context
Differential Object Marking
Genitive Complements of Intensive Reflexive Verbs