I INTRODUCTION 1. Issues and Research Background 2. Objectives of the Study 3. Significance of the Study 4. OrganiTation of the Book II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 1. Argument Structure 1.1. The Representation of Arguments 1.2. Theta-Role Assignment 1.3. Case Filter and Case Assignment 2. Bttrzio's Generalization 3. The Notion of Construction 4. Construction Grammar 5. Frame Semantics 6. Coercion 6.1. Constructional Coercion 6.2. Lexical Coercion 7. Prototype Theory 8. Information Structure III PROPERTIES OF MCS 1. Introduction 2. Semantic Properties of MCs 2.1. Genericity 2.2. Modality 2.3. Stativity 3. Syntactic Properties 3.1. Non-Agent Subject and Active Morphology 3.2. The Obligatory Presence of Adverbials 3.3. Tense and Aspect IV THE FORMATION OF MCS AND RESTRICTIONS 1. Approaches to MC Formation 1.1. The Syntactic Approach 1.2. The Presyntactic Approach 1.3. The Semantic Approach 1.4. The Cognitive Approach 2. Restrictions on MC Formation 2.1. Selection of Verbs 2.2. Conditions on Subject V A PROPOSAL: BASE-GENERATED SUBJECT 1. Some Theoretical Considerations 1.1. Middles as Dispositional Generics 1.2. Dispositional Generics and Qualia Structure 1.3. VP-Intemal Subject Hypothesis 1.4. Theta-Role Assignment by Merge 2. Middle Subject: Base-Generated Internal Argument 2.1. Adjuncts and Stranded Prepositions 2.2. Varied Thematic Roles on Middle Subject 3. Middle Subject: Base-Generated External Argument 3.1. Basic Configuration 3.2. Experiencer: A Unified Them-Role