A Study on Case Realization within DP

This paper examines Case alternation within DP. Four previous accounts dealing with Case alternation within DP will be critically examined. We conclude that a phenomenon looking like Case alternation within Korean DPs is not an instance of Case alternation. We argue that the genitive subject within such DPs is actually in the Spec position of a Small Clause, which involves a verb movement into what is now called vP. From a cross-linguistic point of view, this analysis supports Harley & Noyer's(1997) argument that Gerunds are instances of Small Clauses.