The role of the dative in the Macedonian dative‑predicative structures

In this article, we look at the subjectless sentences with a copula, non‑verbal part of the predicate and a dative constituent. We call them ‘dative‑predicative structures’ (DPS). They express a state or attitude towards a certain situation from the dative referent’s perspective. The main goal is to determine the role of the dative in the semantic and pragmatic features of the construction. There are four types of lexemes used in the predicative position in DPS. They are related to the three types of situations that are expressed: direct involvement, indirect involvement and external observation. The comparison of the DPS with the corresponding constructions without a dative argument (predicative structures – PS) shows that the dative introduces a subjective tone which softens the claim. This is especially evident in the third type of meaning, where judgement and assessment is expressed. In that respect Macedonian shows similar tendencies as Serbian and Slovenian: DPS is expanding more for expressing assessment of the situation, and less for characterizing the current situation.