Double object constructions are distinct from prepositional dative constructions.

What is it about?

Double object constructions and prepositional dative constructions are shown to be distinct constructions and not derivationally related, as various authors including Ormazabal and Romero (2012) have claimed.

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Why is it important?

Recent work has pushed the idea that double object constructions and prepositional dative constructions are just two variants of the same construction, with the choice between them being determined by usage factors. This could not be the case, and instead they must be grammatically distinct.