SILGLOBALGlossary of
Linguistic Terms

Glossary term V

Vocative Case

Definition

Vocative case is a case that marks a noun whose referent is being addressed.

Examples

The word Brute in the following example is in vocative case:

  • Et tu, Brute! ‘You too, Brutus!’

    • See also

    Referent

    Sources 3

    1. Hartmann and Stork 1972, 251
    2. Crystal 1980, 377
    3. Pei and Gaynor 1954, 228
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