This paper presents a monoclausal, multipredicate analysis of Japanese
causatives, adopting the fundamental assumptions of Relational Gramma
r. Evidence is provided for the existence of two distinct classes of c
ausatives, distinguished on the basis of the agentivity of the matrix
subject. It is also demonstrated that the surface case marking of the
causee is constrained by its relative status to the matrix subject wit
h respect to a set of Proto-Agent entailments (as proposed in Dowty 19
91).