Absolutive Case in Linguistics

Overview of Absolutive Case

The absolutive case is a grammatical case found in many languages, particularly those with an ergative-absolutive alignment. It is used to mark the subject of an intransitive verb and the direct object of a transitive verb. This contrasts with languages that use nominative-accusative alignment, where the subject of both intransitive and transitive verbs is marked with the nominative case.

Key Concepts

In an ergative-absolutive system:

• Intransitive verb: The single argument (subject) is in the absolutive case.
• Transitive verb: The subject is in the ergative case, and the direct object is in the absolutive case.

This means the absolutive case marks the most salient or ‘least marked’ argument across different clause types.

Deep Dive into Function

The primary function of the absolutive case is to provide a consistent marker for the core participant that is either acting alone (intransitive) or being acted upon (transitive). It highlights the entity that is directly involved or affected by the action or state described by the verb.

Applications and Examples

Absolutive case marking is a hallmark of ergative-absolutive languages like Basque, Dyirbal, and many indigenous languages of the Americas and Australia. For instance, in Basque, ‘gizona etorri da’ (the man arrived) has ‘gizona’ in the absolutive, while in ‘gizonak sagarra jan du’ (the man ate the apple), ‘sagarra’ (the apple) is absolutive, and ‘gizonak’ (the man) is ergative.

Challenges and Misconceptions

A common misconception is equating absolutive case with the nominative case. However, their functions differ significantly. Absolutive marks the single argument of intransitive verbs and the object of transitive verbs, whereas nominative marks the subject of both.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between absolutive and nominative?

The nominative case marks the subject of both intransitive and transitive verbs in nominative-accusative languages. The absolutive marks the subject of intransitive verbs and the object of transitive verbs in ergative-absolutive languages.

Which languages use the absolutive case?

Languages like Basque, Georgian, and many indigenous languages of the Americas and Australia employ ergative-absolutive alignment, featuring the absolutive case.