User:Bukkia/sandboxVIII

Cases

Jeʂtəra nouns do decline, according to an ergative-absolutive system with 6 cases:

Case	Meaning
Ergative	This case marks the subject of a transitive verb. It can be used only with nouns belonging to class I.
Absolutive	This case marks primarily the direct object of a transitive verb. It is also used to mark the subject of an intransitive verb. It is regarded as the base form of the noun, and it is used as the vocative form.
Genitive	This case marks possession and belonging, either intentional, unintentional, or indirect. It can also mark the origin or the source, usually limited to nouns with a locative meaning or place names.
Dative	This case marks primarily the indirect object. In a broad sense, it can also mark the final point of a movement (motion toward a place), usually limited to nouns with a locative meaning or place names.
Causative	This case marks the reason or the cause, which are the source of an action or a state.
Abessive	This case marks the tool or the instrument which are absent while performing an action or being in a certain state. It can be used only with nouns belonging to the class II.

The cases are usually classified in 4 groups:

1. Primary main cases: ergative
2. Secondary main cases: absolutive
3. Primary oblique cases: genitive, dative, causative
4. Secondary oblique cases: abessive

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

During the history of the language the abessive case slowly loses its vitality in use as a grammar case, being reduced to ad adverbial/adjectival form in later texts.