Nominative-accusative

Definition

Nominative-accusative is a type of morphological alignment in which the subject of an intransitive verb is treated the same as the subject of a transitive verb, both being marked in the nominative case, while the object of a transitive verb is marked differently, typically in the accusative case. This system is significant because it influences how various language families structure their sentences and how they indicate grammatical relationships.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Languages like English, German, and Latin follow a nominative-accusative alignment where subjects are consistently marked as nominative.
2. In nominative-accusative languages, the object of a transitive verb always receives distinct marking that differentiates it from the subject.
3. This alignment simplifies sentence structure for speakers by providing clear grammatical roles for subjects and objects.
4. Nominative-accusative alignment can affect verb conjugation, as verbs may change forms based on whether they are used transitively or intransitively.
5. A significant number of the world's languages belong to the nominative-accusative family, making it one of the most common alignment types globally.

Review Questions

• How does nominative-accusative alignment differ from ergative-absolutive systems in terms of grammatical relationships?
  • Nominative-accusative alignment treats the subjects of both transitive and intransitive verbs alike, marking them in the nominative case, while distinguishing objects in the accusative case. In contrast, ergative-absolutive systems treat the subject of an intransitive verb as identical to the object of a transitive verb (both marked as absolutive), while marking the subject of a transitive verb differently (ergative). This fundamental difference affects how languages organize syntax and morphology.
• Discuss how case marking functions within nominative-accusative languages and its significance for understanding sentence structure.
  • In nominative-accusative languages, case marking is essential for indicating the grammatical roles of nouns and pronouns. The subject is marked as nominative regardless of whether it is part of a transitive or intransitive clause, while objects are consistently marked as accusative when present. This clear distinction allows speakers to identify who is performing an action versus who is receiving it, thereby simplifying comprehension and communication. The predictability of these markings aids language learners in grasping sentence structure more efficiently.
• Evaluate the implications of nominative-accusative alignment for language classification and typology among major language families.
  • Nominative-accusative alignment has significant implications for language classification and typology, influencing how linguists group languages based on structural features. This alignment type is prevalent among Indo-European languages, which often show consistent patterns in case marking and verb conjugation. Understanding this alignment helps linguists identify shared traits among language families and can inform theories about historical language evolution and contact. Moreover, analyzing how different languages implement this system contributes to our broader understanding of human cognition and linguistic diversity.

Related terms

morphological alignment: The way languages mark grammatical relations between subjects and objects in sentences, often categorized into nominative-accusative and ergative-absolutive systems.

ergative-absolutive:

A type of morphological alignment where the subject of an intransitive verb is treated like the object of a transitive verb (absolutive), while the subject of a transitive verb has a different marking (ergative).

case marking:

The grammatical marking of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives to indicate their grammatical role in a sentence, such as subject or object.