Case marking on demonstratives
The inflection of demonstratives refers to the phenomenon in which morphologically distinct forms of a demonstrative are used to mark case. From a typological perspective, sentences featuring demonstratives in adnominal (attributive) function1 with a verbal predicate should be considered.2 Morphonophological alternation alone does not mark case.3 A demonstrative attaching to a finite verb as an affix or a clitic does not constitute demonstrative inflection. If multiple strategies exist to mark case in the given language, the primary (structurally dominant) strategy should be considered.
Types:
NoCase: The language does not have case inflection.
NoDem: The language does not have demonstratives.
Dem=Aff: Demonstratives are affixes and cannot be inflected.4
Dem=Clit: Demonstratives are clitics and cannot be inflected.5
NoDemCase: Demonstratives are standalone words, but cannot be marked for case.6
DemAff: Case is marked on demonstratives using suffixes.
AffDem: Case is marked on demonstratives using prefixes.
DemCaseTon: Case is marked on demonstratives using tone.
DemCaseInflex: Case is marked on demonstratives using phonemic differences in the noun stem (internal flexion).
CaseMix: Case is marked on demonstratives using various strategies, with no dominant strategy.
1: Pronominal demonstratives, which can be used independently, usually display the same inflectional paradigm as nouns, and thus are not considered from a typological perspective.
2: In terms of this parameter, it is irrelevant whether case forms mark the arguments of the verb or other adverbial functions.
3: If, for example, case is marked through the use of affixes, it is irrelevant whether the affix attaches to the base form of the demonstrative or a variant. Morphological variation of the demonstrative is only relevant when it functions to mark case.
4: This value applies if the noun is marked in the same case even without the demonstrative affix.
5: This value applies if the noun is marked in the same case even without the demonstrative clitic.
6: The noun a demonstrative modifies, however, may be marked for case. This should be detailed in the commentary.