This paper investigates the morphological realization of subjects’ syntactic [case] features in Finnish and the way in which verbs' [phi] feature checking requirements affect this interpretation. I argue that during syntactic computation both morphologically nominative or quirky subjects check a single generalized [case] feature, not specified case features such as [nominative]. Moreover, I show that the [case] feature is checked covertly. This checking process presents a paradox with regard to morphological realization. The existence of a generalized syntactic [case] feature suggests that lexical insertion takes place post-syntactically (cf. Halle and Marantz 1993). Under this view of morphology, however, the checking of the [case] feature at Logical Form should not effect the morphological case form. I also discuss the connection between the checking status of finite predicates’ [phi] features and the morphological interpretation of subject case. This interrelatedness between two autonomous features cannot be encoded in the feature checking model of Chomsky (1995).
