Case in Rohingya: the basics

Abstract Rohingya [rhg] is an ergative, Eastern Indo-Aryan language of Myanmar with a system of eight cases: absolutive, ergative, genitive, dative, benefactive, locative, ablative, and an inalienable locative. Each of these is marked by an enclitic which attaches to the rightmost element of the noun phrase. This description of the case system also includes arguments for the presence of ergativity in the Eastern Indo-Aryan family and includes a brief discussion of differential case marking, including how differential subject marking contributes to the analysis of the type of ergative structure found in Rohingya. The case system description also includes examples showing the use of the ablative, rather than the dative, for experiencer/oblique marked subjects, which is unique among Indo-Aryan languages, as well as evidence for the analysis of the morpheme =e as an inalienable locative and not as an instrumental. The article concludes with a summary and implications for further research.