User:Bukkia/sandboxVIII

Cases

Biwdiw nouns do decline, according to an active-stative system with 6 cases:

Case	Meaning
Agentive	This case marks primarily the subject of a transitive verb. It is also used to mark the subject of an intransitive verb, which displays a certain degree of activity, will or intention in performing the said action or in being in a certain state. It can be used only with nouns belonging to class I.
Passive	This case marks primarily the direct object of a transitive verb. It is also used to mark the subject of an intransitive verb, which displays no degree of activity, will or intention in performing the said action or in being in a certain state. It is regarded as the base form of the noun, and it is used as the vocative form.
Ablative	This case marks primarily a natural and unintentional belonging (for example, body parts), without any sign of will of possession, or an inverse belonging. It also marks the point of origin of a movement (motion from a place). It is also used to mark the direct object of an infinitival form of a verb, marking thus the direct object of the negated form of a transitive verb.
Genitive	This case marks an intentional possession, from subjects with a clear and active will. It can be used only with nouns belonging to the class I.
Dative	This case marks primarily the indirect object. It can also mark the final point of a movement (motion toward a place), and, in a broad sense, the final purpose of an action or a state.
Causative	This case marks the reason or the cause, which are the source of an action or a state.

The cases are usually classified in 3 groups:

1. Primary main cases: agentive, genitive
2. Secondary main cases: passive, ablative
3. Oblique cases: dative, causative

Other types of clause complements are conveyed using various postpositions, which can select one or more cases.

Class II nouns can be also declined in another case, named instrumental, which marks the tool or the instrument which are used to perform an action or to be in a certain state. However, this case has already fallen out of use in the classical period, its meaning being replaced by the preposition čīg. Some declined forms survive well into this period, but already crystallized in an adverbial role.

In some declension tables the endings of the instrumental case are shown for the sake of completeness, but they are always marked as archaic.