Overview
The ergative case is a grammatical case that marks the subject of a transitive verb. This is in contrast to the nominative case, which typically marks the subject of both intransitive and transitive verbs in many languages (like English).
Key Concepts
In ergative-absolutive alignment languages, the structure is as follows:
- The subject of an intransitive verb is in the absolutive case.
- The subject of a transitive verb is in the ergative case.
- The object of a transitive verb is in the absolutive case.
Deep Dive
This alignment system differs from the nominative-accusative system found in English, where the subject of both intransitive and transitive verbs is marked the same way (nominative), and the object of a transitive verb is marked differently (accusative).
Example
Consider a hypothetical language:
- Intransitive: The dog (absolutive) sleeps.
- Transitive: The cat (ergative) chased the dog (absolutive).
Applications
The ergative-absolutive alignment is found in languages across the globe, including:
- Basque
- Many Indigenous languages of the Americas (e.g., Mayan, Inuit languages)
- Some Caucasian languages
- Some Indo-Aryan languages (e.g., Hindi, in certain past tense constructions)
Challenges & Misconceptions
A common misconception is that ergativity is a direct opposite of accusativity. It’s an alternative alignment strategy. Not all languages with ergative case marking are fully ergative-absolutive; some exhibit split ergativity.
FAQs
Is English ergative?
No, English follows a nominative-accusative system. The subject is always in the nominative case, regardless of transitivity.
What is the function of the ergative case?
It distinguishes the agent (subject) of a transitive action from the patient (object) and the subject of an intransitive action.