ATTRCASE

ATTRCASE, short for attributive case, is a term used in linguistic description to refer to a potential case marking on a noun or noun phrase when it functions as an attributive modifier within a larger noun phrase. In such systems, the form used on the attributive element signals its function as a modifier rather than as a core argument of the sentence. The category is not universally attested; it appears primarily in typological surveys and certain grammars that distinguish the grammatical status of modifiers from core noun phrases.

In languages where ATTRCASE is claimed, the attributive noun (or its dependent) bears a distinct inflection available only in attributive positions, or a separate allomorph of a demonstrative or determiner accompanies the noun to indicate attribution. This can interact with agreement on adjectives, noun class, or definiteness, and may co-occur with or replace ordinary case forms that mark subject, object, or other roles. The distribution and form of ATTRCASE tend to vary between language families and are often tied to broader morphosyntactic alignment and noun-phrase structure.

Scholarly discussion around ATTRCASE centers on whether it constitutes a true grammatical case, a functional marker of attribution, or an epiphenomenon of determiner or adjective systems. Some grammars treat attributive marking as a distinct case; others analyze it as morphology on the noun phrase that serves a similar function without requiring a separate case category. The term remains a descriptive label rather than a universally adopted feature, and its presence is typically specified with language-specific data.

See also: case marking, attributive constructions, noun phrase structure, agreement.