Editing Absolutive case

{{Short description|Grammatical case}}
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In [[grammar]], the '''absolutive case''' ([[list of glossing abbreviations|abbreviated]] {{sc|'''abs'''}}) is the case of nouns in [[ergative–absolutive language]]s that would generally be the subjects of [[intransitive verb]]s or the objects of [[transitive verb]]s in the translational equivalents of [[nominative–accusative language]]s such as [[English language|English]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Absolutive case definition at SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms|url=https://glossary.sil.org/term/absolutive-case|website=SIL International|access-date=June 6, 2020}}</ref>

==In ergative–absolutive languages==
In languages with [[ergative–absolutive alignment]], the absolutive is the case used to mark both the subject of an [[intransitive verb]] and the object of a [[transitive verb]] in addition to being used for the citation form of a noun. It contrasts with the marked [[ergative case]], which marks the subject of a transitive verb.

For example, in [[Basque language|Basque]] the noun {{lang|eu|mutil}} {{gloss|boy}} takes the bare singular [[article (grammar)|article]] {{lang|eu|-a}} both as the subject of the intransitive clause {{lang|eu|mutila etorri da}} ({{gloss|the boy came}}) and as the object of the transitive clause {{lang|eu|Irakasleak mutila ikusi du}} ({{gloss|the teacher has seen the boy}}) in which the agent bears the ergative ending {{lang|eu|-a-k}}.

In a very few cases, a marked absolutive has been reported, including in [[Nias language|Nias]] and [[Sochiapam Chinantec]].

==Other uses==
Occasionally, the term 'absolutive case' (or also: 'absolute case') is used for the unmarked case form in languages with other alignment types. This is especially common in the tradition of [[descriptive linguistics]] of [[African languages]]. In [[marked nominative]] languages, where the nominative has case inflection, the accusative is unmarked and also serves as citation form. In these languages, the unmarked accusative/citation form is thus often called 'absolutive'. On the other hand, in certain [[nominative–accusative language]]s, it is the accusative which is explicitly marked for case, whereas the nominative is unmarked and serves as citation form. In such situations, the term 'absolutive' is occasionally used to describe the unmarked nominative/citation form.<ref>{{cite book |last=König |first=Christa |year=2008 |title=Case in Africa |publisher=Oxford University Press |pages=23–26}}</ref>

===In tripartite languages===
In [[tripartite language]]s, both the agent and object of a transitive clause have case forms, ergative and accusative, and the agent of an intransitive clause is the unmarked citation form. It is occasionally called the [[intransitive case]], but ''absolutive'' is also used and is perhaps more accurate since it is not limited to core agents of intransitive verbs.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== See also ==

* [[Morphosyntactic alignment]]

{{Grammatical cases}}

[[Category:Grammatical cases]]