In ergative-absolutive languages, the ergative case identifies the subject of a transitive verb. In such languages, the ergative case is typically marked (most salient), while the absolutive case is unmarked. New work in case theory has vigorously supported the idea that the ergative case identifies the agent (intentful doer of action) of a verb (Woolford 2004). Furthermore, the agent has been shown to have a fixed location in which it is base-generated in the specifier of a light-verb projection within X-bar theory. This is a list of cases as they are used by various inflectional languages that have declension. ... In linguistics, the Abessive case is a noun case expressing the lack and absence of something. ... For the physical process, see ablation. ... In ergative-absolutive languages, the absolutive case is used to mark the subject of an intransitive verb or the object of a transitive verb. ... In the Finnish language, Estonian language and Hungarian language the adessive case is the fourth of the locative cases with the basic meaning of on. For example, Estonian laud (table) and laual (on the table), Hungarian asztal and asztalon (on the table). ... The adverbial case is a noun case in the Abkhaz language and Georgian language that has function similar to the translative and essive cases. ... In the Finnish language, the Allative case is the fifth of the locative cases, with the basic meaning of onto. Its ending is -lle, for example pöytä (table) and pöydälle (onto the top of the table). ... The benefactive case is a case used where English would use for, for the benefit of, or intended for. ... This case in Hungarian language combines the Causal case and the Final case: it can express the cause of emotions (eg. ... The Comitative case is used where English would use in company with or together with. It, and many other cases, are found in the Finnish language, the Hungarian language, and the Estonian language. ... The dative case is a grammatical case generally used to indicate the noun to whom something is given. ... The dedative case is a grammatical case invented by J. R. R. Tolkien in his constructed language Quenya. ... The delative case in the Hungarian language can originally express the movement from the surface of something (eg. ... The disjunctive case is a grammatical case in French, where (like other cases) it has a distinct form only for pronouns. ... This case in Hungarian language can express the manner when something happens to each member of a set one by one (eg. ... This case in Hungarian language can express how often something happens (eg. ... Elative is a locative case with the basic meaning out of. In Finnish elative is typically formed by adding sta/stä, in Estonian - st to the genitive stem. ... The essive or similaris case carries the meaning of a temporary state of being, often equivalent to the English as a. ... In Hungarian language this case combines the Essive case and the Formal case, and it can express the position, task, state (eg. ... This case in Hungarian language can express the state, capacity, task in which somebody is or which somebody has (Essive case, eg. ... The excessive case is a grammatical case, which denotes a transition away from a state. ... The genitive case is a grammatical case that indicates a relationship, primarily one of possession, between the noun in the genitive case and another noun. ... Illative case in the Finno-Ugric languages Illative is, in the Finnish language, Estonian language and the Hungarian language, the third of the locative cases with the basic meaning of into (the inside of). An example from Hungarian would be a házba (into the house). ... Inessive case is a locative grammatical case. ... In the Finnish language, the instructive case has the basic meaning of by means of. It is a comparatively rarely used case, though it is found in some commonly used expressions, such as omin silmin -> with my own eyes. In modern Finnish, many of its instrumental uses are being superseded... In linguistics, the instrumental case indicates that a noun is the instrument or means by which the subject achieves or accomplishes an action. ... Lative is a case which indicates motion to a location. ... Locative is a case which indicates a location. ... In linguistics (or generally in the linguistic sciences), an oblique case (Lat. ... An objective pronoun functions as the target of a verb, as distinguished from a subjective pronoun, which is the initiator of a verb. ... The basic meaning of the Partitive case is partialness, without result or without specifying identity. In the Finnish language, its used to express unknown identities and irresultative actions. ... Possessive case is a case that exists in some languages used for possession. ... In a passive sentence, when we want to say when or where something happens, we use a phrase that asks for details about the action. ... Prepositional case is a grammatical case that marks prepositions. ... The prolative case is a declension of a noun or pronoun that has the basic meaning of by way of. The prolative is alive and well in Estonian but in the Finnish language is only found in a few fossilized forms. ... The prosecutive case is a declension found in Tundra Nenets language. ... This case in Hungarian language can express the person in whose company (cf. ... This case in Hungarian language can express the destination of the movement, originally to the surface of something (eg. ... The Superessive case is a grammatical declension indicating location on top of something. ... The temporal case in morphology is used to indicate a time. ... In morphology, the terminative case is a case that indicates to what point; where something ends. ... This declension (case) indicates a change in state of a noun, with the general sense of becoming X or change to X. In the Finnish language, this is the counterpart of the Essive case, with the basic meaning of a change of state. ... The vialis case is found in Eskimo languages. ... The vocative case is the case used for a noun identifying the person being addressed, found in Latin among other languages. ... In linguistics, morphosyntactic alignment is the system used to distinguish between the arguments of transitive verbs and intransitive verbs. ... In ergative-absolutive languages, the absolutive case is used to mark the subject of an intransitive verb or the object of a transitive verb. ... The accusative case of a noun is the grammatical case used to mark the direct object of a verb. ... In linguistics, the instrumental case indicates that a noun is the instrument or means by which the subject achieves or accomplishes an action. ... This case in Hungarian language contains the Instrumental case and the Comitative case at the same time. ... The tone of this article is inappropriate for an encyclopedia article. ... The nominative case is a grammatical case for a noun. ... In linguistics, declension is a feature of inflected languages: generally, the alteration of a noun to indicate its grammatical role. ... The English language once had an extensive declension system similar to modern German or Icelandic. ... Latin is an inflected language, and as such its nouns, pronouns, and adjectives must be declined in order to serve a grammatical function. ... An ergative-absolutive language (or just ergative language) is one that marks the subject of transitive verbs distinctly from the subject of intransitive verbs and the object of transitive verbs. ... The subject of a sentence is one of the two main parts of a sentence, the other being the predicate. ... In grammar, a transitive verb is a verb that requires both a subject and an object. ... In ergative-absolutive languages, the absolutive case is used to mark the subject of an intransitive verb or the object of a transitive verb. ... X-bar theory is a component of linguistic theory which attempts to identify syntactic features common to all languages. ...

Ergative languages may be syntactically or morphologically ergative, or both.

Certain Australian Aboriginal languages (e.g., Warlpiri) possess an intransitive case and an accusative case along with an ergative case, and lack an absolutive case; such languages are called ergative-accusative languages or tripartite languages. The Australian Aboriginal languages are a Australia, and the rest are descended linguistically from them. ... The Warlpiri language is spoken by about 3000 of the Warlpiri people in Australias Northern Territory. ... The tone of this article is inappropriate for an encyclopedia article. ... The accusative case of a noun is the grammatical case used to mark the direct object of a verb. ... In ergative-absolutive languages, the absolutive case is used to mark the subject of an intransitive verb or the object of a transitive verb. ... A tripartite language is one that marks the agent, experiencer, and patient verb arguments each in different ways. ...

See also

• morphosyntactic alignment

Sources: In linguistics, morphosyntactic alignment is the system used to distinguish between the arguments of transitive verbs and intransitive verbs. ...

Woolford, Ellen. ‘Lexical Case, Inherent Case, and Argument Structure.’ Aug. 2004
Online: http://people.umass.edu/ellenw/