definiteconjugation

Definiteconjugation is a term used in linguistics and conlang discussions to describe a hypothetical system in which a verb’s form encodes the definiteness of one or more noun phrases in the clause, typically the subject or the direct object. In such systems, verb morphology marks not only person, number, and tense, but also whether the associated noun phrases are definite (the) or indefinite (a). The term is not standardized in major grammars but is discussed as a theoretical possibility.

Mechanisms vary. Definiteconjugation can be realized through prefixes, suffixes, infixes, or internal vowel changes on the verb, and it may interact with regular agreement markers. Some variants distinguish subject definiteness (S-Def vs S-Ind) or object definiteness (O-Def vs O-Ind). The system may be obligatory or optional, and it can co-occur with other morphosyntactic features such as aspect or mood.

Example in a hypothetical language. The verb 'eat' could take a definite-subject form when the subject is definite and an indefinite-subject form when the subject is indefinite: The man eats (definite subject) would be man-Def-eat-Def, while a man eats (indefinite subject) would be man-Ind-eat-Ind. A parallel could exist for definite and indefinite objects, yielding different verb forms for the same action depending on object definiteness.

Definiteconjugation is related to, but distinct from, standard agreement, definiteness marking on nouns, and evidentiality. It remains primarily a theoretical construct found in discussions of morphological typology and constructed languages, not a widely attested feature of natural languages.