Terminativ

Terminativ, or terminative, is a grammatical category that marks the boundary or limit of an action, event, or state, typically expressing “up to,” “until,” or “to the end of.” It is commonly described as a terminative case or as a terminative postposition or suffix, depending on the language. The central idea is to specify the endpoint of a duration or extent, rather than a direction toward a destination or a change of state.

Distribution and realization vary across languages. The terminativ is attested in a subset of language families, notably among some Finno-Ugric languages and certain Caucasian languages, though it is not a universal feature. In languages that have it, the terminativ may be realized as a suffix attached to a noun, a postpositional element following the noun, or as a clitic integrated into the noun phrase. Its exact form and position are language-specific.

Functions and usage. The temporal terminativ designates the end point of a time interval (for example, a deadline or the maximum duration of an event). The spatial or boundary sense marks the limit of reach or extent. It is distinct from other boundary-oriented cases such as translative (resulting state change), illative (into), or allative (onto). In many descriptions, terminativ interacts with aspect or verb semantics to convey telicity or completion by the stated limit.

Relation to other categories. Terminativ is often discussed alongside other case systems or adpositional strategies in typological surveys. Not all languages have a dedicated terminative form; in many languages, the meaning is expressed through periphrastic constructions or a combination of case endings and adpositions.