Ergative case

The ergative case is a case in certain languages ​​, which are accordingly called Ergativsprachen. It marks the subject of transitive sentences, ie those which have a direct object. Subjects of intransitive sentences, so objectless sentences are in such languages ​​, however, typically not marked with the ergative (although there are often exceptions). In contrast, in Ergativsprachen the direct object in transitive sentences and the subject in intransitive sentences with the same case, the absolutive is marked.

Accruals

In contrast to " ergative " as the name of a case is circulating in the literature on generative syntax even the concept of " ergativen verb " embossing on L. Burzio (1986 ) goes back. However, this term is synonymous with the term " unakkusativisches verb" and has nothing to do with Kasussystemen.

Examples of Ergativsprachen

Known Ergativsprachen are eg Basque, Chan tables, Georgian, Sumerian, Tibetan, Kurmanji, Shipibo ( Peru ) and Kalaallisut ( in Greenland).

Many Indo-Iranian languages ​​have in the tenses of the present group, the construction of the accusative, in the tenses of the perfect group, however, construction of the Ergativsprachen. These include Hindi, Urdu, Pashto ( in Afghanistan), Kurdish.

The difference of Ergativsprachen against accusative languages ​​is that Ergativsprachen the functions of the subject using differentiated by case, so bring through various cases expressed.

Examples:

In Example ( 1) is the "subject" Mr. Miller actually the agent of the carrier of the action " letter writing". In example (2) is Mr. Miller not actors but rather the one who suffers from the process " bullying ", so actually patientive so much. So Mr. Miller takes in (2 ) has the same function as in (3 ) and (4). This function identity of the set member Mr. Miller at (2), (3) and (4) is underlined in Ergativsprachen by the Kasusidentität; it is in all three cases, an unmarked case ( which is called in Ergativsprachen absolutive ). In contrast, namely that of the protagonist, the work colleagues have held in sentence (3) and ( 4) the same function ( agent ). They are therefore in the logic of Ergativsprachen also in the same case, the " ergative ". Compare the roles of ergative and causative, the latter arises from the modification of the verb of the sentence.

An example from the Sumerian illustrates the function:

In some Ergativsprachen, such as in the Eskimo- Aleut languages ​​, the ergative identical with the genitive ( possessive sentence construction ).

The tables Chan has, at least in Vachdialekt, in addition to the ergative still active and passive constructions. The ergative has the task of the subject is particularly noteworthy to emphasize the individual character.