DOM and ergative as structural oblique cases in an Agree framework

Accusative and ergative alignments are accounted for in terms of head licenced case, i.e. in terms of Agree, rejecting dependent case approaches. In the accusative alignment, nominative case depends on T agreement and accusative case on v* agreement. In the ergative alignment nominative/absolutive case depends on T, while ergative is an oblique. Importantly, not all oblique case is inherent – specifically DOM is structural (sections 2-3). This distinction is relevant in approaching ergative case (sections 4-5), in an active language (Punjabi) and in an ergative language proper (Kurmanji Kurdish). Ergative case can be construed as inherent in Punjabi, but must be construed as structural in Kurmanji. Furthermore, DOM and ergative are shown to oscillate between not being able to enter Agree or being able to. This is imputed to the possibility for them to project either as PPs or as DPs.