casesgenders

Casesgenders is a term used in theoretical linguistics to describe a proposed typological pattern in which grammatical case systems are organized in relation to gender categories. In such systems, the set of case morphemes and the agreement patterns on determiners and adjectives are shaped by the gender classification of nouns, rather than by purely syntactic considerations alone.

The label has appeared in discussions of language typology and some constructed languages. It is not a widely attested or formal category in major typological surveys, and references are relatively sparse. Proponents use the concept to explore how gender and case can co-influence morphology and to consider possible cross-effects in historical change or language design.

Morphological characteristics associated with casesgenders would include a correlation between noun gender and its case markings, as well as agreement on modifiers that reflects both gender and case. Adjectives and determiners modifying a noun might show layered inflection, producing patterns where gender class and syntactic role interact in predictable ways. The phenomenon may be more noticeable in languages with richer case inventories or multiple gender classes.

Typological implications of casesgenders involve examining how such patterns affect theories of morphological conditioning, language change, and acquisition. If attested, they could illuminate how gender systems interface with syntactic architecture and how learners parse intertwined noun class and case information.

See also: grammatical gender; case system; grammatical agreement; language typology. References to observed instances are limited and largely confined to theoretical discussions and examples from constructed languages.