Sommativi

Sommativi is a term used in linguistics and grammar to describe a subclass of numerals and quantifiers that express the total amount or sum of a set, focusing on the aggregate rather than the distribution or properties of individual members. The designation appears in some grammars and typological studies to distinguish these expressions from distributive numerals (which refer to each member), cardinal numerals (counting), and ordinal numerals (ranking).

In syntactic terms, somativi typically function as modifiers of nouns or as part of larger quantifier phrases. Their behavior can vary by language, including requirements for agreement in number or gender, and potential interactions with measure expressions or classifiers. Semantically, they activate the sense of the whole sum rather than per-item quantity, and they may be used in contexts that ask or state the total amount.

Cross-linguistically, somativi can be found in languages with explicit total-quantity expressions or in analytic constructions that yield a summative interpretation. The exact inventory of somativi and their formal properties differ between grammars, and some frameworks treat them as a subset of numerals, while others classify them with certain types of determiners or collective quantifiers.

Notes on usage and terminology vary by framework. In some linguistic traditions, sommativi are discussed alongside distributive, collective, and approximate quantifiers as part of a broader typology of quantity expressions. In Italian grammar, the term may appear in specialized discussions, but its prevalence and definitions are not uniform across languages.

See also: Numeral, Quantifier, Determiner, Collective numeral, Distributive numeral.