Aversive case
Encyclopedia
The aversive or evitative case (abbreviated ) is a grammatical case found in Australian Aboriginal languages
that indicates that the marked noun is avoided or feared.
:
The suffix -karrarla indicates that the action (running away) was carried out in order to avoid the dust storm, tjurtu-.
The aversive may also be used to mark the object
of verbs of fearing. For example, in Djabugay
:
The aversive may be used on a nominalized
verb, to produce an equivalent of English "lest". For example, "lest they be forgotten" could be encoded as "to avoid forgetting them".
Languages with a distinct aversive case include:
Australian Aboriginal languages
The Australian Aboriginal languages comprise several language families and isolates native to the Australian Aborigines of Australia and a few nearby islands, but by convention excluding the languages of Tasmania and the Torres Strait Islanders...
that indicates that the marked noun is avoided or feared.
Usage
For example, in WalmajarriWalmajarri language
Walmajarri is a Southwest Pama–Nyungan language spoken in Western Australia.-Names:Names for this language include:...
:
| Yapa-warnti | pa-lu | tjurtu-karrarla | laparnkanja | natji-karti. |
| child-ABS Absolutive case The absolutive case is the unmarked grammatical case of a core argument of a verb which is used as the citation form of a noun.-In ergative languages:... .PL Plural In linguistics, plurality or [a] plural is a concept of quantity representing a value of more-than-one. Typically applied to nouns, a plural word or marker is used to distinguish a value other than the default quantity of a noun, which is typically one... |
IND-they | dust-AVERSIVE | ran away | cave-ALL Allative case Allative case is a type of the locative cases used in several languages. The term allative is generally used for the lative case in the majority of languages which do not make finer distinctions.-Finnish language:In the Finnish language, the allative is the fifth of the locative cases, with the... |
| The children ran into the cave because of the dust storm. | ||||
The suffix -karrarla indicates that the action (running away) was carried out in order to avoid the dust storm, tjurtu-.
The aversive may also be used to mark the object
Object (grammar)
An object in grammar is part of a sentence, and often part of the predicate. It denotes somebody or something involved in the subject's "performance" of the verb. Basically, it is what or whom the verb is acting upon...
of verbs of fearing. For example, in Djabugay
Djabugay language
Djabugay is a nearly extinct Australian Aboriginal language once spoken by Djabugay people.-Names:Names for this language and/or some of its dialects include:...
:
| Djama-lan | ŋawu | yarrnga-nj. |
| snake-AVERSIVE | I | be afraid-PAST Past tense The past tense is a grammatical tense that places an action or situation in the past of the current moment , or prior to some specified time that may be in the speaker's past, present, or future... |
| I was afraid of the snake. | ||
The aversive may be used on a nominalized
Nominalization
In linguistics, nominalization or nominalisation is the use of a verb, an adjective, or an adverb as the head of a noun phrase, with or without morphological transformation...
verb, to produce an equivalent of English "lest". For example, "lest they be forgotten" could be encoded as "to avoid forgetting them".
Languages
Few languages have a distinct aversive case. Usually, a single case will be used both for the aversive and other functions.Languages with a distinct aversive case include:
- Arrernte
- DjabugayDjabugay languageDjabugay is a nearly extinct Australian Aboriginal language once spoken by Djabugay people.-Names:Names for this language and/or some of its dialects include:...
- Gumbaynggir
- Marri Ngarr
- MarrithiyelMarrithiyel languageMarrithiyel , also known as Berringen is an Australian Aboriginal language.Dialects besides Marrithiyel proper are Nganygit, Marriammu , Maridjabin , Marridan , Marramanindjdji ....
- WalmajarriWalmajarri languageWalmajarri is a Southwest Pama–Nyungan language spoken in Western Australia.-Names:Names for this language include:...
- WarlmanpaWarlmanpa languageWarlmanpa is a nearly extinct Australian Aboriginal language.The Warlmanpa had a highly developed sign language....
- WarlpiriWarlpiri languageThe Warlpiri language is spoken by about 3000 of the Warlpiri people in Australia's Northern Territory. It is one of the Ngarrkic languages of the large Southwest branch of the Pama–Nyungan family, and is one of the largest aboriginal languages in Australia in terms of number of speakers.-...
- WarumunguWarumungu languageThe Warumungu language is spoken by about 500 of the Warumungu people in Australia's Northern Territory. Traditionally classified in the large Southwest branch of the Pama–Nyungan family, Dixon classifies it as an isolate within Pama–Nyungan.The Warumungu had a highly developed sign language....
- the Western Desert LanguageWestern Desert LanguageWestern Desert Language is the name used to refer to an otherwise un-named Australian Aboriginal language. It is one of the Wati languages of the large Southwest branch of the Pama–Nyungan family.-Location and list of communities:...
- YidinjYidiny languageYidiny is a nearly extinct Australian Aboriginal language, spoken by the Yidindji tribe of northern Queensland.-Vowels:-Consonants:-Grammar:...