Prädikativer

Prädikativer is an attributive form of the German adjective prädikativ and is used in linguistic discussions to describe predicative usage. In German grammar, a predicative element is one that completes the predicate of a clause, typically after a copular verb such as sein, werden or bleiben. This contrasts with attributive usage, where an adjective directly modifies a noun before it, as in der müde Mann.

The predicative function is illustrated by sentences like Er ist müde or Die Idee wurde gut aufgenommen. In these cases the adjective müde or gut serves as a predicative complement to the subject, and the adjective often remains in its uninflected form or shows minimal inflection, depending on position and emphasis. By contrast, in attributive position the same adjectives take standard endings when preceding a noun, e.g., der müde Mann, eine gute Idee.

The term prädikativer describes two related ideas: a) the predicative use of an adjective or noun phrase after a linking verb, forming a predicate complement; b) the attributive description of this use in grammar discussions, where phrases such as prädikativer Gebrauch or prädikative Eigenschaften appear. In practice, one would speak of a predicative use (prädikativ) and refer to its attributive description with phrases like prädikativer Gebrauch.

In summary, prädikativer refers to the predicative role within German syntax and to the attributive description of that role. It is a technical term used in grammar to distinguish how adjectives or nominal phrases function in the predicate part of a sentence from their attributive, noun-modifying position.