Ergative case

Cuneiform inscription Lugal Kiengi Kiuri 𒈗𒆠𒂗𒄀𒆠𒌵, "King of Sumer and Akkad", on a seal of Sumerian king Shulgi (r. c. 2094–2047 BCE). The final ke4 𒆤 is the composite of -k (genitive case) and -e (ergative case).

In grammar, the ergative case (abbreviated erg) is the grammatical case that identifies a nominal phrase as the agent of a transitive verb in ergative–absolutive languages.

Ergative–absolutive alignment contrasts with nominative–accusative alignment in which subjects of transitive and intransitive sentences behave similarly, and differently from objects of transitive sentences. For example, a sentence like "I help him" has "him" as the object and "he sleeps" has "he" as the subject. But in languages that have ergative-absolutive alignment, the ergative case is used as the subject only in a transitive sentence, otherwise the absolutive case is used. An analogue in English would be saying "I help him" and "him sleeps."

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