Editing Ablative case (section)

==Indo-European languages==
===Latin===
{{Main|Ablative (Latin)}}

The ablative case in [[Latin]] ({{lang|la|cāsus ablātīvus}}) appears in various grammatical constructions, including following various prepositions, in an [[Latin grammar#Ablative|ablative absolute]] clause, and adverbially. The Latin ablative case was derived<ref>{{cite web |title=Case in Decline |page=1 |url=https://org.uib.no/iecastp/IECASTP/CaseInDecline.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021065929/https://org.uib.no/iecastp/IECASTP/CaseInDecline.pdf |archive-date=2018-10-21}}</ref> from three [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] cases: ablative (from), instrumental (with), and locative (in/at).

===Greek===
In [[Ancient Greek]], there was an ablative case ({{Lang|grc|ἀφαιρετικὴ πτῶσις}} {{Transliteration|grc|aphairetikē ptōsis}}) which was used in the Homeric, pre-Mycenaean, and Mycenean periods. It fell into disuse during the [[Classical Greece|classical period]] and thereafter with some of its functions taken by the [[genitive case|genitive]] and others by the [[Dative case|dative]].<ref>{{cite book |author-link=Herbert Weir Smyth |first=Herbert Weir |last=Smyth |title=Greek Grammar |at=¶1279 |article=Composite or mixed cases}}</ref> The genitive case with the prepositions {{Lang|grc|ἀπό}} {{Transliteration|grc|apó}} {{gloss|away from}} and {{Lang|grc|ἐκ/ἐξ}} {{Transliteration|grc|ek/ex}} {{gloss|out of}} is an example.

===German===
[[German language|German]] does not have an ablative case but, exceptionally, Latin ablative case-forms were used from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century after some [[preposition and postposition|prepositions]], for example after {{lang|de|von}} in {{lang|de|von dem Nomine}}: ablative of the Latin loanword {{lang|la|nomen}}. Grammarians at that time, [[Justus Georg Schottel]], [[Kaspar von Stieler]], Johann Balthasar von Antesperg and [[Johann Christoph Gottsched]], listed an ablative case (as the sixth case after nominative, genitive, dative, accusative and vocative) for German words. They arbitrarily considered the dative case after some prepositions to be an ablative, as in {{lang|de|von dem Mann[e]}} {{gloss|from the man, of the man}} and {{lang|de|mit dem Mann[e]}} {{gloss|with the man}}, while they considered the dative case after other prepositions or without a preposition, as in {{lang|de|dem Mann[e]}}, to be a dative.

===Albanian===
The ablative case is found in [[Albanian language|Albanian]]; it is the fifth case, {{lang|sq|rasa rrjedhore}}.

===Sanskrit===
In [[Sanskrit]], the ablative case is the fifth case ({{Transliteration|sa|pañcamī}}) and has a similar function to that in Latin. Sanskrit nouns in the ablative often refer to a subject "out of" which or "from" whom something (an action, an object) has arisen or occurred: {{Transliteration|sa|pátram '''vṛkṣā́t''' pátati}} {{gloss|the leaf falls '''from the tree'''}}. It is also used for nouns in several other senses, as for actions occurring "because of" or "without" a certain noun, indicating distance or direction. When it appears with a comparative adjective, ({{Transliteration|sa|śreṣṭhatamam}} {{gloss|the best}}), the ablative is used to refer to what the adjective is comparing: {{gloss|better than X}}.

===Armenian===
The modern [[Armenian language|Armenian]] ablative has different markers for each main dialect, both originating from [[Classical Armenian]]. The [[Western Armenian]] affix {{lang|hyw|-է}} {{Transliteration|hyw|-ē}} (definite {{lang|hyw|-էն}} {{Transliteration|hyw|-ēn}}) derives from the classical singular; the [[Eastern Armenian]] affix {{lang|hy|-ից}} {{Transliteration|hy|-ic’}} (both indefinite and definite) derives from the classical plural. For both dialects, those affixes are singular, with the corresponding plurals being {{lang|hyw|-(ն)երէ(ն)}} {{Transliteration|hyw|-(n)erē(n)}} and {{lang|hy|-(ն)երից}} {{Transliteration|hy|-(n)eric’}}.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Western !! Eastern !! [[Gloss (annotation)|Gloss]]
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|մարդ'''է'''|mart'''ē'''|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|մարդ'''ից'''|mard'''ic’'''|}}
| from (a) man
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|մարդ'''էն'''|mart'''ēn'''|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|մարդ'''ից'''|mard'''ic’'''|}}
| from the man
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|(տուն) > տան'''է'''|(dun) > dan'''ē'''|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|(տուն) > տն'''ից'''|(tun) > tn'''ic’'''|}}
| from a house/from home
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|(տուն) > տան'''էն'''|(dun) > dan'''ēn'''|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|(տուն) > տն'''ից'''|(tun) > tn'''ic’'''|}}
| from the house
|}

The ablative case has several uses. Its principal function is to show "motion away" from a location, point in space or time:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Western !! Eastern !! Gloss
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|''քաղաք'''էն''''' եկայ|k’aġak’'''ēn''' yega|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|''քաղաք'''ից''''' եկա|k’aġak’'''ic’''' yeka|}}
| I came ''from the city''
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|''այստեղ'''էն''''' հեռու կը բնակէի|aysdeġ'''ēn''' heṙu gě pnagēi|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|''այստեղ'''ից''''' հեռու էի բնակվում|aysteġ'''ic’''' heṙu ēi bnakvum|}}
| I used to live far ''from here''
|}

It also shows the agent when it is used with the passive voice of the verb:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Western !! Eastern !! Gloss
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|''ինծ'''մէ''''' միշտ կը սիրուէիր|''inc'''mē''''' mišd gě sirvēir|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|''ինձն'''ից''''' միշտ սիրվում էիր|''injn'''ic’''''' mišt sirvum ēir|}}
| You were always loved ''by me''.
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|''ազատիչներ'''էն''''' ազատեցանք|''azadič’ner'''ēn''''' azadec’ank’|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|''ազատիչներ'''ից''''' ազատվեցինք|''azatič’ner'''ic’''''' azatvec’ink’|}}
| We were freed ''by the liberators''.
|}

It is also used for comparative statements in colloquial Armenian (including infinitives and participles):

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Western !! Eastern !! Gloss
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|Ի՞նչ ''մեղր'''էն''''' անուշ է|Inč’ ''meġr'''ēn''''' anuš ē|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|Ի՞նչն է ''մեղր'''ից''''' անուշ|Inč’n ē ''meġr'''ic’''''' anuš|}}
| "What is sweeter ''than honey''?" (proverb)
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|Մարիամ ''եղբօր'''մէն''''' պզտիկ է|Mariam ''yeġpōr'''mēn''''' bzdig ē|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|Մարիամն ''եղբոր'''ից''''' փոքր է|Mariamn ''yeġbor'''ic’''''' p’ok’r ē|}}
| Mary is younger (lit. smaller) ''than her brother''
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|թզեր համտեսել ''տեսնել'''է''''' աւելի լաւ է|t’ëzer hamdesel ''desnel'''ē''''' aveli lav ē|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|թուզ համտեսելը ''տեսնել'''ուց''''' լավ է|t’uz hamteselë ''tesnel'''uc’''''' lav ē|}}
| Figs are better to taste ''than to see''
|}

Finally, it governs certain postpositions:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Western !! Eastern !! Gloss
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|''ինծմէ'' վար|''incmē'' var|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|''ինձնից'' վար|''indznic’'' var|}}
| below ''me''
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|''քեզմէ'' վեր|''k’ezmē'' ver|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|''քեզնից'' վեր|''k’eznic’'' ver|}}
| above ''you''
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|''անոնցմէ'' ետք|''anonc’mē'' yedk’|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|''նրանցից'' հետո|''nranc’ic’'' heto|}}
| after ''them''
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hyw|''մեզմէ'' առաջ|''mezmē'' aṙač|}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=hy|''մեզնից'' առաջ|''meznic’'' aṙadž|}}
| before ''us''
|}