Case: Oblique, Inherent, Semantic, Quirky

Abstract

In the last several decades, a variety of terminology has been developed for describing case‐marking patterns and uses of case marking. Here I will review the related concepts of semantic, oblique, and quirky/inherent case, discussing their development, and how they have been applied to describe case systems in various languages, with the sorts of problems that arise when trying to discriminate them from other kinds of case phenomena.