In linguistics, dative shift refers to a pattern in which the subcategorization of a verb can take on two alternating forms, the oblique dative form or the double object construction form. In the oblique dative (OD) form, the verb takes a noun phrase (NP) and a dative prepositional phrase (PP), the second of which is not a core argument.
(1) John gave [NP a book ] [PP.DATIVE to Mary ].
In the double object construction (DOC) form the verb takes two noun phrases, both of which are core arguments, with the dative argument preceding the other argument.
(2) John gave [NP.DATIVE Mary ] [NP a book ].
Synonyms used in the literature
Terms used in literature on dative shift can vary. The chart below provides terms used in this article along with common synonyms used elsewhere.
Distribution of dative shift in English
Traditional grammar suggests (as a "rule of thumb") that only single-syllable verbs can be in the double object construction (DOC).
(3a) John bought [ Mary] [ a cake ]
(3b) John bought [ a cake ] [ for Mary ]
(4a) *John acquired [ Mary ] [ a new car ]
(4b) John acquired [ a new car ] [ for Mary ]
One explanation for this lies with the origin of the verbs that allow the double object construction. Generally, native (Anglo-Saxon) verbs allow the DOC form, whereas Latinate verbs do not. This is thought to be primarily due to the stress associated with native verbs, rather than etymological conditions, as native verbs often have a single metrical foot as opposed to multiple metrical feet common of Latinate verbs. Therefore, a morphological constraint on the distribution of verbs participating in dative alternation is influenced by phonological properties. Pinker (1989) supports this observation with examples of Latinate verbs with one metrical foot (eg. promise, offer, assign, award) that allow the DOC.
An additional semantic component constrains some native verbs further. These verbs must have the theta-role of thematic relation recipient/goal/beneficiary in their theta grid when in DOC form. A theta grid is where theta roles are stored for a particular verb (see Section 2 on the theta role page). In example (5), the DOC form is not permitted, despite the verb root being single syllable, because [wash] lacks the theta-role of recipient. One explanation for why the verb lacks this theta-role is that there is no possessive relationship between the direct object and the indirect object).
(5a) *[John] washed [Mary] [the dishes]
(5b) [John] washed [the dishes][for Mary]
The double object construction requires a possessor/possessed relationship. This means the indirect object in the oblique dative construction must have the theta-role of beneficiary (PP introduced by [for]) or recipient/goal (PP introduced by [to]) to be a candidate for the dative alternation. This theory suggests verbs chosen for the double object construction are done so before syntactic processes take place. The knowledge of the relationship of possession/possessed (the semantic constraint) is learned prior to the class constraint of the verbs (native vs. Latinate). The table below demonstrates verbs that do and do not allow the DOC form, verbs have been underlined for clarity.
Analyses of dative shift
Chomsky 1955
Noam Chomsky, in The Logical Structure of Linguistic Theory (1955, 1975) provides a proposal about dative structure using transformational grammar.
Chomsky's argument suggests that an oblique dative example like [John sent a letter to Mary] derives from an underlying form.
In this oblique dative sentence [John sent a letter to Mary], the verb, [sent], and its indirect object, [to Mary], make up a constituent that excludes the direct object [a letter]. The OD form therefore involves an underlying verb phrase (VP) whose subject is [a letter] and whose object is [(to) Mary]. The VP [sent to Mary] is considered an inner constituent. This inner constituent is clear to see in the D-Structure, but is obscured in the S-Structure after V-Raising.
Examples (6) and (7) show the oblique dative form as it appears in its underlying representation before V-Raising (6) and in its surface representation after V-Raising (7):
(6) John [VP a letter [V' send to Mary]] (D-Structure) (7) John send [VP a letter [V' to Mary]] (S-Structure)