The Nominal Systems of Balochi: How Many Grammars?

Résumé En

The present article is intended as a contribution to the synchronic grammar of Balochi and purports to investigate its nominal system(s). Although research on Balochi has been done for about one hundred years, there is no agreement yet on the number of cases in Balochi. Opinions have varied (to quote but a few sources) from two cases, three, four and five, to six, and up to eight cases. The terminology and the function of cases assumed has differed accordingly. Given the variation among Balochi dialects, it is possible a priori that the nominal system differs according to the dialect involved. So the discussion will first present a conspectus of the data hitherto gathered on the cases in the individual dialects, also addressing the various views expressed on these. The focus will be on an analysis of the synchronic function of the cases by specifically looking at the marking of the agent in ergative constructions (if any), the (intransitive) subject, the direct and indirect objects, and at the case used with prepositions and for adverbial functions. The conclusion will investigate whether or not the nominal systems of the dialects can be interpreted as one system, i.e. whether we can speak of one grammar applying to all Balochi dialects in the field of the nominal system.