A variety of tests can be used to distinguish structural and lexical case, including the resolution of case conflicts, and passivization. While not all structural case verbs passivize, case theory predicts that it should be impossible for lexical case verbs to form the passive. Oblique passivization, seen in Lithuanian, Russian, and Polish, provides evidence against this understanding of case theory. It remains unclear what principles allow oblique passivization: the argument structure of the particular verbs or a different analysis of non-structural case. The Lithuanian impersonal passive also highlights the lack of understanding of the process of passivization itself.
1. Introduction
2. Structural vs. Lexical Case
3. Oblique passivization in Lithuanian
4. Oblique passivization in Slavic and Icelandic
5. Possible solutions