Perforativ

Perforativ is a term encountered in linguistic typology used to denote a proposed grammatical category that marks events involving perforation or piercing of an object. The concept is described in a small subset of descriptive grammars and experimental works, where it is used to capture patterns in which the verb form encodes the manner of creating a hole or the involvement of a tool, rather than merely describing the action.

In practice, perforativ is described as a potential voice or aspect marking that may be realized through affixes, clitics, or stem changes. Its occurrence is rare and not standardized across languages. Perforativ markings are often discussed in relation to instrumental and causative constructions, since perforation typically involves an instrument or tool and may affect transitivity or the resulting state of the object.

Typologically, perforativ is treated differently across analyses. Some researchers present it as a distinct perforative voice, while others analyze it as a subtype of manner-of-action or instrumental marking. Because evidence for perforativ comes from limited field descriptions and experimental grammars, descriptions vary and the category is not universally accepted or implemented in grammar descriptions of major language families.

Example usage in scholarly illustration is scarce and often hypothetical. A fictional or illustrative example might describe a sentence where the verb receiving a perforativ marker conveys that the action perforates the object with a tool. Such examples emphasize the focus on the perforation event and its relation to instrument usage, rather than the general action of cutting or piercing alone.

See also: perforation, perforative, voice, aspect, instrument complement.