dative shift

plural dative shifts

1. grammarRelocation of the indirect object of a ditransitive verb from a prepositional phrase to a core argument or vice versa.

   The clauses "I'll throw you the ball" and "I'll throw the ball to you" are related by dative shift.

2. human sciencesOf a language, dialect, or specific verb, a feature where indirect objects can be given not only in prepositional phrases, but alternatively as core arguments.

   English "to donate" exhibits dative shift only in some dialects; while "I donate clothes to them" is universally accepted, some dialects reject "I donate them clothes" as ungrammatical, or at least unnatural-sounding.