What is the absolutive case?

It is a grammatical case found in languages like Basque and many Caucasian, Australian, and Mayan languages. It marks the subject of an intransitive verb (e.g., 'The child sleeps') and the object of a transitive verb (e.g., 'I saw the child'), while a different case (the ergative) marks the subject of a transitive verb ('I saw').

Does English have an absolutive case?

No, English has a nominative-accusative system. The subject of both transitive and intransitive verbs is in the nominative case ('I run', 'I see her'), and the object is in the accusative case ('She sees me').

How is the absolutive different from the nominative?

The nominative case marks the subject of *both* transitive and intransitive verbs. The absolutive only marks the subject of *intransitive* verbs (and the object of transitive verbs). The subject of a transitive verb is marked by a different case (ergative) in an absolutive-ergative system.

Can you give a simple example of an absolutive marker?

In Basque, the noun 'etxea' (the house) is absolutive. It appears as 'etxea' in 'Etxea handia da' (The house is big - intransitive subject) and also in 'Gizonak etxea ikusi du' (The man saw the house - transitive object). The suffix -a is the absolutive marker here.

absolutive

UK/ˈæb.sə.ljuː.tɪv/US/æbˈsɑː.lə.t̬ɪv/

Specialised/Linguistic

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Definition

Meaning

A grammatical case in some languages (e.g., Basque, ergative languages) that marks both the subject of an intransitive verb and the direct object of a transitive verb.

Pertaining to or being the grammatical case that indicates a noun or pronoun that is the subject of an intransitive verb or the object of a transitive verb, typically in opposition to the ergative case which marks the subject of a transitive verb.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

The term is used almost exclusively in the field of linguistics, specifically in typology and the description of languages with ergative-absolutive alignment. It is a technical grammatical category, not a descriptive adjective for other contexts.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in meaning or use. Usage is identical in both academic and linguistic communities.

Connotations

Purely technical, neutral, and descriptive in both varieties.

Frequency

Exclusively found in linguistic texts; extremely low frequency in general discourse.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

absolutive caseergative-absolutiveabsolutive marking

medium

absolutive argumentabsolutive formabsolutive suffix

weak

absolutive languageabsolutive patternabsolutive construction

Grammar

Valency Patterns

ERGATIVE-ABS case markingThe noun (ABS) + intransitive verbERGATIVE verb + noun (ABS)

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Weak

non-ergative argument

Vocabulary

Antonyms

ergativenominative

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Not used.

Academic

Central term in linguistic typology and descriptive grammar.

Everyday

Virtually never used.

Technical

Precise term for a grammatical case in ergative languages.

Examples

By Part of Speech

adjective

British English

The absolutive marking is clearly indicated by the suffix -a.

American English

In that language, the absolutive argument is often unmarked.

Examples

By CEFR Level

The term 'absolutive' is important for studying certain non-European languages.
In an ergative language, the absolutive case has a special function.

The analysis hinges on whether the suffix marks the ergative or the absolutive argument.
Languages with an ergative-absolutive alignment system treat subject and object relations differently from languages like English.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think 'ABSOLUTIVE is ABSOLUTELY the subject when alone (intransitive) or the object when acted upon.' It combines 'absolute' (standing alone) with the '-ive' of a grammatical case.

Conceptual Metaphor

A grammatical 'default' or 'home base' for nouns in certain languages, contrasting with the more agentive 'ergative' case.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Do not confuse with the adjective 'абсолютный' (absolute). There is no direct equivalent case in Russian, which uses a nominative-accusative system. It is a purely linguistic term.
The concept may be hard to grasp initially, as it merges functions (intransitive subject and transitive object) that Russian treats with different cases (именительный and винительный).

Common Mistakes

Using it as a synonym for 'absolute'.
Attempting to apply it to English grammar, which lacks this case.
Confusing the absolutive with the accusative case.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

In Basque, the noun 'gizona' (the man) is in the case in the sentence 'Gizona etorri da' (The man has come).

Multiple Choice

In an ergative-absolutive language, which noun phrase would typically be marked with the absolutive case?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: It is a grammatical case found in languages like Basque and many Caucasian, Australian, and Mayan languages. It marks the subject of an intransitive verb (e.g., 'The child sleeps') and the object of a transitive verb (e.g., 'I saw the child'), while a different case (the ergative) marks the subject of a transitive verb ('I saw').
: No, English has a nominative-accusative system. The subject of both transitive and intransitive verbs is in the nominative case ('I run', 'I see her'), and the object is in the accusative case ('She sees me').
: The nominative case marks the subject of *both* transitive and intransitive verbs. The absolutive only marks the subject of *intransitive* verbs (and the object of transitive verbs). The subject of a transitive verb is marked by a different case (ergative) in an absolutive-ergative system.
: In Basque, the noun 'etxea' (the house) is absolutive. It appears as 'etxea' in 'Etxea handia da' (The house is big - intransitive subject) and also in 'Gizonak etxea ikusi du' (The man saw the house - transitive object). The suffix -a is the absolutive marker here.