Dative case

Primarily marks sentence indirect objects.

Dative case is a regular core oblique and has a non-singular cluster "饜尲".

Together with nominative, vocative, accusative and genitive, dative is one of the cases that were present in Gothic.

For Gothic speakers: Adpositional dative/accusative pairings of direction-location are mostly obsolete in their original sense. Their role is replaced by postpositional locative triads.

Meanwhile a lot of Gothic instrumental dative usages were transferred back to instrumental.

Usages

1. Indirect object dative

The standard usage of Dative. Answers to the questions "to what" and "to whom".

For Gothic speakers: Person/entity variability migrated into pegative constructions, while semantically determined / arbitrary case variability is mostly lost and overtaken by accusative in Wistrish.

Examples

饜崋饜崅饜尮饜尵饜崏饜尳饜尦饜尠饜尲
"to friends"
饜崋饜崅饜尮饜尵饜崏饜尳饜尦饜崈 - friend
m. nd-stem anim.
dat. pl.
饜尣饜尮饜尡饜尶饜尳饜崈
"gifts"
饜尣饜尮饜尡饜尠 - gift
f. 艒-stem
acc. pl.
饜尣饜尠饜尣饜尨饜尡饜尠饜尣饜尣饜崏饜尦饜尠
"I gave to each one by one"
饜尣饜尮饜尡饜尠饜尳 - to dive
S-V-饜尣饜尠
GenP DIST
past ag. ind. 1pSG
I gave gifts to each of my friends.
饜尭饜尶饜崈
"to you one"
饜尭饜尶 - thou
dat.
饜崍饜尠
"what"
饜崍饜尠 - what
acc. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜尩饜尨饜尭饜尶饜崉饜崈
"they two said"
饜尩饜尮饜尭饜尠饜尳 - to say
S-V-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
past ag. ind. 3pDU
What did they told you?
饜尲饜尮饜崈
"to me"
饜尮饜尯 - I
dat.
饜尠虅饜尮饜崅饜尶饜尳饜尦饜尮饜尫饜尶饜尳
"any message"
饜尠虅饜尮饜崅饜尶饜尳饜尦饜尮 - message
nt. ja-stem
acc. sg.
+ negative indef.
饜尳饜尮
"not"
饜尳饜尮 - not
饜尣饜尠饜崈饜尠饜尳饜崈饜崉
"you one sent"
饜崈饜尮饜尳饜尦饜尠饜尳 - to send
S-III-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
past ag. ind. 2pSG
You didn't send me any message.

2. Dative of reference

Can be considered an extension of indirect object dative. Answers the question "for whom?".

Examples

饜崈饜崊饜尮饜崈饜崉饜崅饜尠饜尮
"to sister"
饜崈饜崊饜尮饜崈饜崉饜尠虅饜崅 - sister
f. r-stem
dat. sg.
饜尲饜尨饜尮饜尳饜尠虅饜尮饜尪饜尠饜尵
"to my"
饜尲饜尨饜尮饜尳饜崈 - my
a-stem, no weak
f. dat. sg.
饜尶饜尳饜崊饜尨饜尳饜尮饜尭饜尶
"suriprise"
饜尶饜尳饜崊饜尨饜尳饜尮饜尭饜尠 - surprise
f. 艒-stem
acc. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜崉饜崏饜崊
"i made"
饜崉饜尠饜崊饜尠饜尳 - to do, to make
S-VI-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
past ag. ind. 1pSG
I made a surprise for my sister.
饜尮饜尲饜尲饜尠饜尮
"to him"
饜尮饜崈 - he
dat.
饜尠饜尮饜崁饜尮饜崈饜崉饜尶
"letter"
饜尠饜尮饜崁饜尮饜崈饜崉饜尶饜崈 - letter
f. u-stem
acc. sg.
饜尣饜尠饜尲饜尠饜尮饜尲饜尨饜尰饜崊饜尶
"maybe wrote"
饜尲饜尨饜尰饜尠饜尳 - to write
S-VIId1-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
pres. ag. dub. 3pSG
He probably wrote him a message.
饜尵饜尠虅饜尮饜尳
"that over there"
饜尵饜尠虅饜尮饜尳饜崈 - yon
a-stem, no weak
f. nom. sg.
饜尳饜尮
"not"
饜尳饜尮 - not
饜尮饜尪饜崊饜尮饜崈
"to you few"
饜尵饜尶饜尭 - you few
dat.
饜尣饜尠饜尡饜崅饜尮饜尣饜尣饜尨饜尦饜尠饜尮
"was brought"
饜尡饜崅饜尮饜尣饜尣饜尠饜尳 - bring
H-I-饜尣饜尠 irreg.
GenP PASS
past obj. ind. 3pPL
It was not brought for you.

3. Dative of respect

Used to display the point of view.

Examples

饜尲饜尮饜崈
"to me"
饜尮饜尯 - I
dat.
饜尮饜尡饜尳饜尠饜尮
"equal"
饜尮饜尡饜尳饜崈 - equal
a-stem
str. m. nom. pl.
饜崈饜尮饜尳饜尦
"they are"
饜崊饜尮饜崈饜尠饜尳 - to be
irreg. S-V suppl.
Imp BASE
pres. ag. ind. 3pPL
To me, they are same.
饜尮饜尲饜尲饜尠饜尮
"to him"
饜尮饜崈 - he
dat.
饜尫饜尮
"this"
饜尫饜尮饜崈 - this
irreg.
nt. nom. sg.
饜尩饜尨饜尭饜尨饜尳饜尦饜崏
"the being said"
饜尩饜尮饜尭饜尠饜尳 - to say
S-V-饜尣饜尠
Pres. part.: Imp PASS
饜尩饜尮饜尭饜尨饜尳饜尦饜崈 - being said
an-墨n-stem
weak nt. nom. sg.
饜尰饜尠虅饜尮饜崈饜尠饜崅饜尵饜尠饜尮
"by female teacher"
饜尰饜尠虅饜尮饜崈饜尠饜崅饜尨饜尮饜崈 - teacher
GP-JAS: f. j艒-stem
peg. sg.
饜崋饜崅饜尠饜尭饜尠饜崋饜崅饜尮
"an easy to understand"
饜崋饜崅饜尠饜尭饜尠饜崋饜崅饜尨饜尮饜崈 - easy to understand
ja-stem
str. m. nom. sg.
饜尳饜尮饜崈饜崉
"it is not being"
饜崊饜尮饜崈饜尠饜尳 - to be
irreg. S-V suppl.
Imp BASE
pres. ag. ind. 3pSG
+ negative
To him, what the teacher is saying is not easy to understand.

4. Dative of inalienable posession

Used attributively to mark an inalienable posession, which are most of the time parts constituting the modified noun.

For Gothic speakers: This usage of dative seems to occur more frequently in Wistrish than it did in Gothic.

Examples

饜尫饜尠饜尳饜尦饜尶饜崈
"hand"
饜尫饜尠饜尳饜尦饜尶饜崈 - hand
f. u-stem.
nom. sg.
饜尲饜尮饜崈
"to me"
饜尮饜尯 - I
dat.
饜崈饜尲饜尠饜尮饜崅饜崉饜尮饜尭
"is hurting"
饜崈饜尲饜尠饜尮饜崅饜崉饜尠饜尳 - to hurt
S-III-饜尶饜崈
Imp BASE
pres. ag. ind. 3pSG
My hand hurts.
饜尡饜崅饜尠饜尣饜尳
"brain"
饜尡饜崅饜尠饜尣饜尳 - brain
nt. a-stem inan.
acc. sg.
饜尭饜尶饜崈
"to you one"
饜尭饜尶 - thou
dat. sg.
饜尠饜尳饜尠饜尣饜尠饜崌饜崅饜尮饜尳饜尦
"you one shall turn on"
饜尠饜尳饜尠饜崌饜崅饜尮饜尳饜尦饜尠饜尳 - to turn on
S-III-饜尣饜尠
GenP BASE
I ag. imp. 2pSG
Stop fooling around. (lit.: Turn on your brain.)

Formation

Strong nouns

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. a-stem -饜尠饜尮 -饜尠饜尲饜尠 -饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尠饜尲饜尮 -饜尠饜尲
m. a-stem -饜尠饜尮 -饜尠饜尲饜尠 -饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尠饜尲饜尮 -饜尠饜尲
f. 艒-stem -饜尠饜尵 -饜崏饜尲饜尠 -饜崏饜尲饜尮 -饜崏饜尲
nt. ja-stem -饜尵饜尠饜尮 -饜尵饜尠饜尲饜尠 -饜尵饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尵饜尠饜尲饜尮 -饜尵饜尠饜尲
m. ja-stem -饜尵饜尠饜尮 -饜尵饜尠饜尲饜尠 -饜尵饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尵饜尠饜尲饜尮 -饜尵饜尠饜尲
f. j艒-stem -饜尵饜尠饜尵 -饜尵饜崏饜尲饜尠 -饜尵饜崏饜尲饜尮 -饜尵饜崏饜尲
nt. wa-stem -饜崊饜尠饜尮 -饜崊饜尠饜尲饜尠 -饜崊饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜崊饜尠饜尲饜尮 -饜崊饜尠饜尲
m. wa-stem -饜崊饜尠饜尮 -饜崊饜尠饜尲饜尠 -饜崊饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜崊饜尠饜尲饜尮 -饜崊饜尠饜尲
f. w艒-stem -饜崊饜尠饜尵 -饜崊饜崏饜尲饜尠 -饜崊饜崏饜尲饜尮 -饜崊饜崏饜尲
nt. i-stem -饜尠饜尮 -饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尮饜尲饜尮 -饜尮饜尲
m. i-stem -饜尠饜尮 -饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尮饜尲饜尮 -饜尮饜尲
f. i-stem -饜尠饜尮 -饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尮饜尲饜尮 -饜尮饜尲
nt. ji-stem -饜尵饜尠饜尮 -饜尵饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尵饜尮饜尲饜尮 -饜尵饜尮饜尲
nt. u-stem -饜尠饜尶 -饜尶饜尲饜尠 -饜尶饜尲饜尮 -饜尶饜尲
m. u-stem -饜尠饜尶 -饜尶饜尲饜尠 -饜尶饜尲饜尮 -饜尶饜尲
f. u-stem -饜尠饜尶 -饜尶饜尲饜尠 -饜尶饜尲饜尮 -饜尶饜尲

Strong noun genitives always end in -饜尠饜尮 in most of the singulars, though in u-stem singulars they end in -饜尠饜尶.

Weak nouns

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. an-stem -饜尮饜尳饜尠饜尮 -饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尠饜尲饜尮 -饜尠饜尲
m. an-stem -饜尮饜尳饜尠饜尮 -饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尠饜尲饜尮 -饜尠饜尲
f. 艒n-stem -饜崏饜尳饜尠饜尮 -饜崏饜尲饜尠 -饜崏饜尲饜尮 -饜崏饜尲
nt. in-stem -饜尶饜尳饜尠饜尮 -饜尶饜尲饜尠 -饜尮饜尲饜尮 -饜尮饜尲
m. in-stem -饜尶饜尳饜尠饜尮 -饜尶饜尲饜尠 -饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尮饜尲饜尮 -饜尮饜尲
f. 墨n-stem -饜尨饜尮饜尳饜尠饜尮 -饜尨饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尨饜尮饜尲饜尮 -饜尨饜尮饜尲
nt. un-stem -饜尠饜尳饜尠饜尮 -饜尠饜尲饜尠 -饜尶饜尲饜尮 -饜尶饜尲
m. un-stem -饜尠饜尳饜尠饜尮 -饜尠饜尲饜尠 -饜尮饜尲饜尠 -饜尶饜尲饜尮 -饜尶饜尲
f. 奴n-stem -饜尶虅饜尳饜尠饜尮 -饜尶虅饜尲饜尠 -饜尶虅饜尲饜尮 -饜尶虅饜尲

Singular weak nouns are ablauted and take -饜尠饜尮 ending after the 饜尳 in all genders and declensions.

In dative (as well in other regular cases), in standard weak plurals and duals the "饜尳" is dropped, but the initial ablaut is preserved.

Consonant stems

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. ct-stem -by饜尠饜尮 -ax饜尶饜尲饜尠 -by饜尶饜尲饜尮 -cy饜尶饜尲
m. ct-stem -by饜尠饜尮 -ax饜尶饜尲饜尠 -ax饜尮饜尲饜尠 -by饜尶饜尲饜尮 -cy饜尶饜尲
f. ct-stem -by饜尠饜尮 -ax饜尶饜尲饜尠 -by饜尶饜尲饜尮 -cy饜尶饜尲
nt. d-ct-stem -by饜尠饜尮 -ax饜尮饜尲饜尠 -ax饜尶饜尲饜尠 -by饜尮饜尲饜尮 -cy饜尮饜尲

This table uses the generalized consonant stem notation.

Dative case as a core oblique is ablauted and uses a singular oblique grade vowel before the consonant. All singular consonant stems have a dative ending -饜尠饜尮 after their respective consonant.

Duals, paucals and plurals use -饜尶- instead of a thematic vowel before the non-singular regular case cluster.

Static consonant stems

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. sc-stem -饜尶饜尭饜尠饜尮 -饜尶饜尭饜尶饜尲饜尠 -饜尶饜尭饜尶饜尲饜尮 -饜尶饜尭饜尶饜尲
m. sc-stem -饜尠饜尮 -饜尶饜尲饜尠 -饜尶饜尲饜尮 -饜尶饜尲
f. sc-stem -饜尠饜尮 -饜尶饜尲饜尠 -饜尶饜尲饜尮 -饜尶饜尲
m. nd-stem -饜尠饜尮 -饜尠饜尲饜尠 -饜尠饜尲饜尮 -饜尠饜尲

All static consonant stems end in -饜尠饜尮 in singular.

Static consonant stems proper, like the normal consonant stems, use -饜尶- instead of a thematic vowel in duals and plurals. Meanwhile, nd-stem nouns use the vowel -饜尠-.

Neuter consonant stems have an -饜尶饜尭- infix in all forms.