Asymmetric ditransitive constructions: Evidence from Korean

• We examine two types of ditransitive constructions in Korean.
• We show that case markings contribute to the meanings of the ditransitives.
• We offer evidence from quantifier scope, nominalizations, and ditransitive idioms.
• We argue that the double object construction is built on an applicative structure.

This paper investigates the underlying structures of the two ditransitive constructions in Korean, the postpositional dative construction (realized as [Dative–Accusative]) and the double object construction (realized as [Accusative–Accusative]). We evaluate two approaches proposed in the literature, Harley, 1997 and Harley, 2002 symmetric theory and Bruening's (2010) asymmetric theory in the sense of Marantz's (1993) applicative analysis: Harley's approach is symmetric since it posits a symmetric structure for the two constructions, whereas Bruening's approach is asymmetric because it posits a different structure for each construction. We draw data from quantifier scope, nominalizations, and ditransitive idioms in Korean which have not been systematically discussed in the literature, and show that they lend support to the proposed asymmetric theory that the double object construction in Korean, unlike its dative counterpart, is introduced by an applicative head. We also argue how the observed patterns in Korean cannot be reconciled with the Harley-type structures. The result of the discussion will show that despite the lack of the overt morphology Korean can be added to the inventory of languages that has a double object construction with applicative characteristics.