predikatif

Predikatif is a grammatical term used to describe the part of a sentence that completes the meaning of its subject (or sometimes its object) through a linking or copular verb. It designates elements that tell what someone or something is, rather than modifying a noun directly. In many descriptions, predikatif contrasts with attributive or prenominal modifiers, which attach to a noun within the noun phrase.

In functionality, predikatif follows a copular verb such as be, seem, become, or appear, and it can take the form of an adjective, a noun phrase, or a pronoun. Examples in English include adjectives used after be (The sky is blue), or nouns used as predicate nominatives (The winner is John). Predikatif can also occur with object complements in sentences like They elected him president, where president functions as a predicative noun.

Types of predikatif vary across languages. Predicative adjectives describe the subject via the copula (tall, happy). Predicative nouns or pronouns identify or rename the subject or object (John is the winner; It was I). Some languages show agreement or case marking on predikatif elements, while others treat them as part of the predicate with limited morphosyntactic interaction.

Usage and analysis of predikatif help distinguish how different languages encode identity, quality, or state in predication. It is a central concept in discussions of copular constructions, predication, and the division between predicate structure and noun modification.

See also: predicate, predication, predicative complement, copular verb.