6.4

## 6.4.1 - Subjective

The unmarked subjective case is used as the subject of intransitive verbs, the predicate noun in predicate constructions (6.2.6) and with adpositions.

**6.4.1.1** With verbs of motion, if the destination comes immediately after the verb, the adposition **ne** may optionally be dropped, leaving an unmarked noun, **za’u fìtseng, ma ’itetsyìp** *come here, little daughter*.

**6.4.1.2** The subjective is also used in exclamations, when a noun or noun phrase is used by itself as an utterance, **lora aylì’u, lora aysäfpìl** *beautiful words and beautiful thoughts*, **aylì’u apawnlltxe nìltsan** *words well spoken!*

**6.4.1.3** A time word with the indefinite **-o** is used in the subjective to indicate a duration of time, **zìsìto amrr ftolia ohe** *I studied for five years*, **herwì zereiup fìtrro nìwotx!** *It’s been snowing all day!*

## 6.4.2 - Agentive

The agentive case is used for the subject of transitive verbs, **oel ngati kameie** *I See you.*

## 6.4.3 - Patientive

The patientive is used as the direct object of transitive verbs, **tì’eyngit oel tolel a krr** *when I receive an answer.*

## 6.4.4 - Dative

The dative is used for the indirect object of ditransitive verbs, **sìltsana fmawn a tsun oe ayngaru tivìng** *good news which I can give to you.*

**6.4.4.1** The object of a **si**-verb takes the dative, **oe irayo si ngaru** *I thank you.*

**6.4.4.2** The causee for the causative of a transitive verb may be in the dative, **oel ngaru tseykìye’a tsat** *I will make you see it* (see 6.11.2).

**6.4.4.3** The verb **lu** with the dative forms an idiom for possession, where English uses the verb “have,” **lu oeru ikran** *I have an ikran*. In this construction the verb usually comes first in the clause.

**6.4.4.4** The dative of interest limits the scope of an adjective to the judgement or benefit of a particular individual, **fì’u oeru prrte’ lu** *this is pleasant to me*, **tìpängkxo ayoengeyä mowan lu oeru nìngay** *our chat is truly enjoyable (to me)*.

**6.4.4.5** With verbs of speaking, including a word like **pawm** *ask*, the person addressed goes in the dative, **oel poru polawm fì’ut** *I asked him this.*

## 6.4.5 - Genitive

The genitive case marks possession, as in **oeyä ’eylan** *my friend*. But see below for inalienable possession (6.4.6.3).

**6.4.5.1** The genitive can be used predicatively, as in **fìtseng lu awngeyä** *this place is ours*. However, the prop noun **pum** possession, thing possessed is more often used, **kelku ngeyä lu tsawl; pum oeyä lu hì’i** *your house is large; mine is small.*

**6.4.5.2** The partitive genitive marks the larger whole of which something is part, **Na’viyä luyu hapxì** *you are part of the people.* This is also used with fractions, **Tsu’teyìl tolìng oer mawlit smarä** *Tsu’tey gave me a half of the prey.*

**6.4.5.3** The genitive is occasionally separated from the noun phrase it goes with, **Na’viyä luyu hapxì** *you are part of the people.*

**6.4.5.4** The genitive is also used as the object of verbal nouns, as in **tìftia kifkeyä** *study of the natural world.*

## 6.4.6 - Topical

The topical case marks the topic in a topic-comment construction. See Topic Comment, 7.2, for a longer discussion of this use. The topical has a few more fixed uses, as well.

**6.4.6.1** In prose, a topical noun phrase will come as early in the clause as possible: first in a main clause, but after the conjunction if in a subordinate clause.

**6.4.6.2** The topical is often used with the **si**-verb **irayo si** *to thank* to indicate the thing for which you’re giving thanks, **tìmweypeyri ayngeyä seiyi irayo nìngay** *I really thank you for your patience.*

**6.4.6.3** The topical can be used to mark inalienable possession. Inalienable possession is possession of those things which are intrinsically yours, and which in theory cannot be given away or taken (except by damage). In most languages that have this, words for blood relatives and body parts are the most likely to have special grammar for inalienable possession. Note below that one’s spirit and one’s life count as inalienable in Na’vi.

* **Oeri nì’i’a tsyokx zoslolu.** *My hand is finally healed.*
* **Oeri tìngayìl txe’lanit tivakuk.** *Let the truth strike my heart.*
* **Oeri ta peyä fahew akewong ontu teya längu.** *My nose is full of his alien smell.*
* **Ngari hu Eywa salew tirea, tokx ’ì’awn slu Na’viyä hapxì.** *Your spirit goes with Eywa, your body remains to become part of the People.*
* **Ngari tswintsyìp sevin nìtxan lu nang!** *What a pretty little queue you have!*
* **Tseiun oe pivlltxe san oeri lu tìrey sìltsan nìngay sìk.** *Happily I’m able to say that my life is really good.*

Note in most of the examples that the possessed noun need not fall immediately next to the topical.

**6.4.6.4** The topical can be used for the point of comparison in comparisons of equality (see 6.2.7.2).

1. ↑ http://naviteri.org/2010/07/diminutives-conversational-expressions/