The case hierarchy

This paper presents a typological analysis of grammatical case systems across languages, proposing a structured hierarchy that reflects the relative markedness and syntactic roles of cases. The hierarchy typically begins with core cases—nominative and accusative—progressing through genitive, dative, locative, and other oblique cases. The paper's author Barry Blake argues that this ordering is not arbitrary but grounded in linguistic universals, influencing how languages assign case to noun phrases. Drawing on data from a wide range of languages, including Australian Aboriginal languages, the article demonstrates how the hierarchy helps explain patterns of case syncretism, case loss, and morphological alignment. Blake also discusses exceptions and variations, showing that while the hierarchy is robust, it allows for language-specific adaptations. The article contributes to linguistic theory by offering a predictive model for case distribution and by highlighting the interplay between syntax, semantics, and morphology in shaping grammatical systems (AI generated abstract, copilot).