Allatiivnimekiri

Allatiivnimekiri is a term used in Finnic-language linguistics to refer to a compiled list of allative case forms for nouns and pronouns. The allative is a grammatical case that expresses direction toward or onto something, and a nimekiri (list) of its forms serves as a reference for learners, researchers, and language-processing tools. Although the concept is applicable to several Finnic languages, it is most often discussed in the context of Estonian and Finnish grammar.

A typical allatiivnimekiri collects entries showing the base form (lemma), the allative form, and a gloss or translation. It may also include example sentences, notes on irregular declensions, phonological alternations, and dialectal variations. The data can be organized by language, by noun class, or by the type of allative ending, making it easier to compare regular patterns and exceptions across declension groups.

In Finnish, for instance, the allative form commonly marks motion toward something, as in talolle “to the house.” Personal pronouns also take allative forms in the sense of “to me,” “to you,” etc., such as minulle and sinulle. In broader Finnic studies, the allative is one element among a full set of cases used to encode spatial and recipient meanings.

Allatiivnimekiri serves both pedagogical and computational purposes, supporting language learning, descriptive grammar work, and natural language processing tasks that require accurate morphosyntax. See also allative case, Finnish grammar, Estonian grammar.