Elatiivsinguli

Elatiivsinguli is the singular form of the elative case in languages that mark origin or source with a dedicated case. The elative typically expresses movement from or departure from a place, as well as the source or material of something, and it appears in grammars of Finnic languages and others that have an elative system.

In Finnish, the elative singular is formed with the suffix -sta or -stä attached to the noun stem. The choice between -sta and -stä follows vowel harmony: back vowels trigger -sta, front vowels trigger -stä. Examples include talo → talosta (from the house), kukka → kukasta (from the flower), pöytä → pöydästä (from the table), and maa → maasta (from the ground). The elative can also contrast with the elative plural, which uses forms like -ista/-istä.

In Estonian, the elative singular is typically marked with the suffix -st. Examples include maja → majast (from the house) and puu → puust (from the tree). Like Finnish, Estonian uses the elative to denote source, origin, or material, and it forms part of a larger case system that includes other local and directional cases.

Usage and cross-linguistic notes: Elative forms are contrasted with other cases such as inessive, allative, or partitive, and with the plural variants (elatiivmonikko) in languages that distinguish singular and plural. The exact form and usage of elativsinguli depend on the language’s phonology and morphology, but the core function—expressing origin or departure from a source—remains consistent across languages with an elative case.