Differential argument marking has been a hot topic in linguistics for several decades both
because it is cross-linguistically widespread and because it raises essential questions at
multiple levels of grammar including the relationship between abstract processes and overt
morphological marking between case and agreement and between syntax and information
structure. This volume provides an introduction into the current state of the art of research
on differential case marking and chapters by leading linguists addressing theoretical questions
in a wide range of typologically and geographically diverse languages from the Indo-European
Sinitic Turkic and Uralic families. The chapters engage with current theoretical issues in
the morphology syntax semantics and processing of differential argument marking. A central
issue addressed by all the authors is the adequacy of various theoretical approaches in
modelling (different varieties of) differential case marking such as those determined by
topicality those driven by cumulative factors and those that involve double marking. The
volume will be of interest to students and researchers working on cross-linguistic variation in
differential marking and its theoretical modelling.
