Sekirov Dictionary

ergative

UK /ˈɜːɡətɪv/US /ˈɝɡətɪv/

adjective 1
noun 2
forms 1

adjective1

•
With the subject of a transitive construction having grammatical cases or thematic relations different from those of an intransitive construction.
- The case systems of ergative languages are counter-intuitive to speakers of many Indo-European languages.

noun2

•
An ergative verb or other expression.
- Unlike those with subjectivized ergatives, such locative clauses naturally do not allow for imperatives (*Contain the apples). — 1971
Ellipsis of ergative case (“a grammatical case used to indicate the agent of a transitive verb in ergative-absolutive languages”).

forms

ergatives

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