demonstrativeelative

Demonstrativeelative is a proposed term in linguistic theory describing a potential morphosyntactic category that fuses demonstrative deixis with elative meaning (origin or source). In this usage, a single marker on a noun phrase would encode both proximity or distance to the speaker and origin from a reference point. The term is not widely attested as a standard grammatical label but is employed in discussions of how languages encode spatial-relational information and how demonstratives might interact with case or oblique relations.

Function and realization. A demonstrativeelative marker could appear as an affix, clitic, or fused morpheme on a noun or determiner phrase. It would function to indicate both the demonstrative value (this/that) and an elative sense such as “from” or “out of.” The exact semantics can vary: some analyses treat it as a single unit with dual force, while others view it as a compact expression of two grammatical layers in a single morpheme. The concept is especially discussed in typological surveys of languages with rich demonstrative systems or elaborate case systems.

Cross-linguistic relevance. Demonstrativeelatives are theorized as a way to account for systems where deixis and origin are closely linked in meaning or function. In practice, languages may express similar ideas using separate demonstratives plus postpositions or case endings, so demonstrativeelatives are often discussed as a possible efficiency or historical-development scenario rather than a widespread, established category.

Examples. In hypothetical form, markers could be represented as ni-el for “from this” and ha-el for “from that,” where ni/ha are demonstratives and -el is an elative marker. See also: demonstratives, elative case, relative clauses.