Re: inventory of cases

My first exposure to the whole concept of ergativity was in a sketch of Inuit
grammar which
as you note, used the term Relative.  I have used it ever since in my languages
although the
genitive sense has usually been lost once cases started proliferating.  I just
can't see myself
ever using the term 'ergative' which has got  to be the ugliest word in all of
linguistics (IMNSHO).


Lars Henrik Mathiesen wrote:

> > Date:         Mon, 28 Jun 1999 15:14:44 +0200
> > From: Boudewijn Rempt <bsarempt@...>
>
> > Thanks! In the meantime I've found another case, the _relative_,
> > which according the authors is a combination of ergative and
> > genitive, but which I can use for the infamous particle _tan_,
> > which relates nominals in any old way.
>
> Yes, that's the usual name given to the ergative-genitive case in
> Inuktut languages --- I don't remember if I used it in the little
> sketch I posted, because I usually forget it.
>
> It makes a nice dichotomy: absolute -- relative.
>
> Lars Mathiesen (U of Copenhagen CS Dep) <thorinn@...> (Humour NOT marked)
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