Semblative case

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The semblative case (abbreviated SEMBL) is a grammatical case that denotes the similarity of one entity to another. The semblative case is sometimes referred to as the similative case.

Wagiman, an indigenous Australian language, has a semblative case suffix -yiga, that is functionally identical to the -like suffix in English, as in the example:

In Warlpiri, the semblative case can be a semantic case, i.e., it can be semantically richer and less dependent on the verb. In the example below, the -piya ('like') suffix can act as the main predicate and can attach to a demonstrative, suggesting that it is not purely a derivational affix.

'The barn owl is white. The Boobook owl is just like him except that the barn owl is white.'^[1]

Although the semblative case is not found in English, there are several semblative derivational suffixes, including -like, -ish and -esque.

Texas Man Catches Fish With Human-Like Teeth ^[2]

As in many other languages, semblativity in English is marked with derivational affixes instead of being an inflectional case.

• Comparative case
• Formal case
• Equative case

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