allativedirection

Allativedirection is a descriptive term in linguistics for the directional function of the allative case: it marks movement toward a destination or recipient. It is one facet of spatial grammar that expresses path direction, as opposed to movement away (ablative) or inside (inessive).

In languages that have a dedicated allative, the marking is usually suffixal or postpositional. The most well-known examples come from Finnic languages. In Finnish, the allative is expressed with the suffix -lle, yielding forms such as talolle (to the house) and kauppalle (to the market). Estonian uses a similar strategy with -le, as in majale (to the house). Other languages may use separate prepositions or analytic forms to express the same function.

The term is commonly applied to noun phrases with verbs of motion. It can indicate literal movement to a place or destinatary in a transfer, such as giving something to someone. Some languages distinguish between approaching/destination and contact or recipient via distinct allative forms or related constructions.

In linguistic literature, allative direction is discussed alongside other spatial cases as part of a system that encodes locative meaning (in, on, at), direction toward (to, unto), and source (from). Although allative direction is not universal, it is a productive feature in several language groups and helps mark nuance in motion and transfer events.