Case Markers
The case markers of the Tao (Yami) language are an essential set of obligatory function words that precede Noun Phrases (NPs) to indicate their grammatical relationships and semantic roles within a clause. As a closed grammatical class, they do not admit new members.
The case system is organized into four major categories, with distinct forms depending on whether the noun is a Common Noun or a Personal Name / Kinship Term.
1. The Four-Way Case System
| Case | Primary Function | Common Noun Form | Personal Name / Kin Term Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative (NOM) | Marks the Subject (Pivot) | o | si (SG), sira (PL) |
| Genitive (GEN) | Marks possession; Agent in Non-Agent Focus clauses | no | ni (SG), nira (PL) |
| Locative (LOC) | Marks place, location, time, direction | do | ji (SG), jira (PL) |
| Oblique (OBL) | Marks indefinite or non-specific arguments; Patient in AF clauses | so | sya (SG) |
2. Core Functions of Each Case Marker
(1) Nominative Case (o / si)
- Subject Marking: The Nominative NP is the most salient participant in the clause and is selected by the verb’s Focus System.
- Semantic Flexibility:
Because focus determines the grammatical pivot, the Nominative NP may represent:
- Agent (in Agent Focus clauses)
- Patient / Undergoer
- Location
- Instrument
- Form: o is used for common nouns; si is used for personal names or kin terms (e.g. si Salang, si kaka).
(2) Genitive Case (no / ni)
- Possession: Example: kakamay no kalang — “the crab’s leg”.
- Agent of Transitive Verbs (in Non-Agent Focus): When the verb is Patient Focus, Locative Focus, or Instrumental Focus, the Agent is marked with no / ni.
(3) Locative Case (do / ji)
- Place and Direction: Example: do takey — “on the mountain”.
- Extended Roles:
May mark:
- time
- season
- means of transportation
- goal/recipient
- cause
- Indirect Object (for persons): ji is the personal locative form. Example: itoro na ji Masaray — “he gives (it) to Masaray”.
(4) Oblique Case (so / sya)
- Patient in Agent Focus (AF): Example: koman so wakay si Salang — “Salang eats sweet potato.”
- Indefinite Noun Phrase: Example: ya myan so mojis? — “Is there (some) rice?”
3. Interaction with the Verb Focus System (Ergativity)
The case markers reflect an Ergative alignment system, meaning the assignment of the Agent to Genitive or Nominative case depends on the verb’s focus, not on grammatical subject/object distinctions like in English.
(1) Agent Focus (AF)
The Agent is Nominative (o / si), and the Patient is Oblique (so).
“Salang eats sweet potato.”
(2) Non-Agent Focus (PF, LF, IF)
The Agent becomes Genitive (no / ni), and the Patient / Location / Instrument is promoted to Nominative.
“The sweet potato is eaten by Salang.”
In Tao grammar, case markers operate like an alignment system controlled by the verb: the verb’s affix selects which participant becomes the Subject, and the case markers reveal each participant’s semantic role.
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