What is ergative case?

Definition
	Ergative case is the case of nouns in ergative-absolutive languages that would generally be the subjects of transitive verbs in the translation equivalents of nominative-accusative languages such as English.

Discussion
	Ergative case is more likely to be formally marked on the noun than absolutive case is.

Generic
	Ergative case is a kind of
	What is case?

Sources
	Crystal 1980 134
	Hartmann and Stork 1972 78
	Pei and Gaynor 1954 67
	Andrews, A. 1985 138

Context for this page:

Concept module: ergative case
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): E
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

© 2004 SIL International