Dativative

Dativative is a term used in linguistics to refer to the function and, in some grammars, the form associated with the dative case. It describes how a language marks the indirect object of a verb—the recipient, beneficiary, or goal of an action—either through a declined noun or a prepositional phrase. The label is not universally standardized; many grammars simply call this the dative.

In languages with rich case systems, the dativative appears as a distinct inflection or set of endings on nouns, pronouns, and sometimes adjectives. Its primary semantic role is to indicate the recipient or beneficiary of an action, as in giving, telling, or showing. Additional uses include dative of advantage or disadvantage and dative of reference, where the action is perceived from a particular viewpoint.

Cross-linguistically, dativative constructions vary. German uses a dative for indirect objects: Ich gebe dem Mann den Apfel (I give the man the apple). Russian marks indirect objects with the dative: Я дал другу книгу (I gave a book to a friend). Latin marks to whom the item is given with the dative: Librum puero do. In languages without a case system, the same function is conveyed by word order or a preposition such as to or for.

Etymology traces the term to Latin datus, meaning “given,” reflecting its link to the transfer of objects. The concept remains central in discussing how languages encode recipient- or beneficiary-related meanings in syntax and morphology.