allatiivlike

Allatiivlike is a linguistic term used to describe forms or constructions that convey the same semantic function as the allative case: marking motion toward a goal, destination, or recipient. The term is used in typology and grammar to discuss how languages express directional meaning toward something, either through dedicated case marking or through separate particles or prepositions.

The word is formed from allatiiv, the term for the allative case in some languages, with the suffix -like to indicate resemblance or similarity. In practice, allatiivlike describes how a language or a grammatical construction behaves as if it were allative, even if the exact form differs across languages or constructions.

In Estonian, often cited in discussions of allative marking, the allative meaning is frequently expressed with suffixal forms such as -le, which attach to nouns or pronouns to indicate destination or recipient. For example, maale means “to the country,” and temale means “to him/her.” However, the precise realization of allative-like signaling varies and can involve postpositions or different particles in other languages.

Allatiivlike is a broad label used for languages with true allative cases, as well as for languages that convey the same directional meaning with alternative means. It highlights a functional similarity to the allative without prescribing a single morphosyntactic form. The concept helps typologists compare how languages encode movement toward a goal across diverse grammatical systems.

See also: Allative, Estonian grammar, Uralic languages, directional case marking.