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Theequative case (abbreviatedEQU) is agrammatical case prototypically expressing the standard of comparison of equal values ("as… as…"). The equative case has been used in very few languages in history.[citation needed] It was used in theSumerian language, where it also took on the semantic functions of theessive case ("in the capacity of…") and similative case ("like a…").[1]
InSumerian, the equative was formed by adding the suffix-gin7 to a noun phrase, for example:
lugal
"king"
→
lugal-gin7
"king-like", "like a king"
lugal → lugal-gin7
"king" {} {"king-like", "like a king"}
nitah-kalaga
"mighty man"
→
nitah-kalaga-gin7
"like a mighty man"
nitah-kalaga → nitah-kalaga-gin7
{"mighty man"} {} {"like a mighty man"}
InOssetic, it is formed by adding the suffix-ау [aw]:[2]
фӕт
"arrow"
→
фӕтау
"arrowlike"
фӕт → фӕтау
"arrow" {} "arrowlike"
Ницы
фенӕгау
йӕхи
акодта
Ницы фенӕгау йӕхи акодта
lit. "nothingseer-like himself made" ("[he or she] pretended to see nothing").
The equative case is also found subdialectally in theKhalkha dialect ofMongolian, where it can be formed by adding the suffixes-цаа [tsaa],-цоо [tsoo],-цээ [tsee] or-цөө [tsöö], depending on thevowel harmony of the noun. It is rare and highly specialized, used exclusively to denote the height or level of an object:[3]
эрэг
"[river]bank"
→
эрэгцээ
"as high as the bank"
эрэг → эрэгцээ
"[river]bank" {} {"as high as the bank"}
өвдөг
"knee(s)"
→
өвдөгцөө
"up to the height of the knee(s)"
өвдөг → өвдөгцөө
"knee(s)" {} {"up to the height of the knee(s)"}
InArchi, aNortheast Caucasian language, the equative case is indicated by the case marker-qʼdi:[4]
It is also found in theTurkic Khalaj language and in languages from South America such asQuechua,Aymara,Uro andCholón.[citation needed]
Sireniki Eskimo had an equative (or comparative) case for describing similarities between nouns.[5]