datiiviset

Datiiviset is a term used in Finnish linguistics to refer to the dative case and its associated constructions in languages that have a dative form. The plural form datiiviset can describe the set of dative forms or the dative-style constructions in a given language.

The core function of the dative is to mark the indirect object, recipient, beneficiary, or experiencer related to an action. In many languages this meaning is expressed through explicit case endings attached to nouns or pronouns, while in others it is rendered with prepositions or fixed phrases. The dative often answers questions such as “to whom?” or “for whose benefit?” in relation to a verb.

Morphological and syntactic realization varies across languages. In highly inflected languages like German, the dative is a distinct grammatical case with its own endings and often interacts with definite or plural forms. In German, for example, the indirect object is commonly expressed with a dative article or ending, as in Ich gebe dem Kind einen Ball (I give a ball to the child). In other languages such as Russian, the dative is a separate grammatical case with its own endings and usage rules. Some languages rely on prepositional constructions (for example, English uses to or for) instead of a formal dative case.

In linguistic descriptions, datiiviset may cover both the inflected dative forms of nouns and pronouns and the broader dative constructions within a language. The term is primarily used in theoretical or descriptive grammars to group together dative-marked elements and their syntactic behavior across languages.