The Distribution of Multiple Subject Constructions in Korean

Abstract

It has often been observed in the literature that multiple subject constructions(MSCs) are acceptable only with stative predicates. While the notion of stativity can play a role in accounting for the distribution of MSCs, the analysis based on verbal aspect sometimes leads to incorrect predictions. In this paper, it is argued that in order to explain the acceptability of MSCs consistently, sentential aspect rather than verbal aspect must be considered, and also contextual factors must be taken into account. It is also pointed out that those contextual factors can be subsumed by the notion of characterization in Jang (1998). Meanwhile, MSCs beginning with a subject associated with location need a special treatment since it can be regarded as a locative phrase as well as a subject, and hence a double subject construction can be licensed even if its predicate belongs to activity predicates or characterization relation does not hold.