What is vocative case?

Definition
	Vocative case is a case that marks a noun whose referent is being addressed.

Example (Latin)

The word Brute in the following example is in vocative case:

Et tu, Brute! ‘You too, Brutus!’

Source:

Hartmann and Stork 1972 251

Concept module: vocative case
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): V
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004