Abstract
The paper discusses the semantics of dative subject constructions in Bengali, an Indo-Aryan language. Bengali dative subject constructions are constrasted formally and semantically with corresponding direct subject constructions (direct counter-parts). Existing theories of the semantics of dative subject constructions in terms of the notions ‘subjective’ and ‘recipient’ are considered and discarded. The greater adequacy of the notions ‘volitional’ and ‘non-volitional’ is seen by contrasting direct and dative counterparts in a variety of contexts. It is proposed that volitionality and possibly other semantic parameters may be cross-linguistically shared. Hence, language areas may be defined not only at the overt but also at the conceptual level of linguistic structure.
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