8 The Nominative Case

NOMINATIVE Forms

Feminine hard type: °room¢ soft type: °week¢ declension singular plural singular plural nouns ÀÉÕŒ¡∏¡ ÀÉÕŒ¡∏Ÿ Œ≈ƒÅõ Œ≈ƒÅÃ… -ÿ: °talent¢ singular plural ∑¥œ∑É∫Œœ∑∏ÿ ∑¥œ∑É∫Œœ∑∏… Masculine hard type: °courtyard¢ soft type: °nail¢ declension singular plural singular plural nouns ƒ◊É∂ ƒ◊œ∂á «◊É⁄ƒÿ «◊É⁄ƒ…

Neuter hard type: °body¢ soft type: °schedule¢ declension singular plural singular plural nouns ∏ÅÃœ ∏≈ÃÄ ∂¡∑¥…∑ÄŒ…≈ ∂¡∑¥…∑ÄŒ…µ Adjectives hard type: °first¢ feminine masculine neuter plural ¥Å∂◊¡µ ¥Å∂◊Ÿ™ ¥Å∂◊œ≈ ¥Å∂◊Ÿ≈ -É™ if stressed soft type: °last¢ feminine masculine neuter plural ¥œ∑ÃŃŒµµ ¥œ∑ÃŃŒ…™ ¥œ∑ÃŃŒ≈≈ ¥œ∑ÃŃŒ…≈

Pronouns °I¢ °we¢ °you¢ informal °you¢ µÕŸ∏Ÿ◊Ÿ

°she¢ °he¢ °it¢ °they¢ œŒÄ œŒ œŒÉ œŒÇ

°who¢ °what¢ À∏œ fi∏œ

°this¢ feminine masculine neuter plural Ü∏¡ Ü∏œ∏ Ü∏œ Ü∏… °all, every¢ feminine masculine neuter plural ◊∑µ ◊≈∑ÿ ◊∑£ ◊∑≈ Possessives feminine masculine neuter plural °my¢ ÕœÖ Õœ™ Õœ£ ÕœÇ

°our¢ ŒÄ¤¡ ŒÄ¤ ŒÄ¤≈ ŒÄ¤…

Numerals °one¢ feminine masculine neuter plural œƒŒÄ œƒÇŒ œƒŒÉ œƒŒÇ ‘two¢ °three¢ °four¢ °five¢ ƒ◊e (fem) ∏∂… fi≈∏á∂≈ ¥Ö∏ÿ ƒ◊¡ (masc/neut) Nominative: a name 1 9

NOMINATIVE: N A NAME

The nominative network:

A NAME AN IDENTITY

PROLOGUE

As you probably suspect, the nominative case is relatively simple and straightforward. It is the logical starting point both for our survey of the cases and for many sentences. In addition to its basic meaning, NOMINATIVE: A NAME, this case has just one submeaning, NOMI- An overview of the nominative NATIVE: AN IDENTITY. Whereas NOMINATIVE: A NAME has a very broad naming function, NOMINA- case. TIVE: AN IDENTITY has a more narrow function, targeting a characteristic of something that has already been named. You can think of NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY as being a specialized version of NOMINATIVE: A NAME, used when we want to convey more information.

NOMINATIVE: A NAME 1—Naming and calling

Because it does not have any other more specific meaning, the nominative is ideal even for use outside of a sentence, such as: pointing to an object and naming it; signs, tags, labels, titles, and similar naming devices. The fact that dictionar- The naming ies cite nouns in the nominative case is a symptom of the function of NOMINATIVE: A nominative¢s function as the primary name for an item or idea; NAME. the other case forms are all variations on the nominative, second- N ary and derived. There are two ways in which Russian uses this naming function just like a sign: either by setting it off with a comma, or by using a comma and À¡À °like’. In both situations the

NOMINATIVE: A NAME nominative item is set apart from the rest of the sentence; it is (circle labeled N) merely a parenthetical piece of commentary:

ÙŸ Œ≈ ◊ Ìœ∂ƒÉ◊……,fiÑfi≈Ãœ! NOMINATIVE: A [You-NOM not in Mordovia-LOC, scarecrow-NOM!] NAME used to call someone a name You¢re not in Mordovia, you scarecrow ! or to get their attention. Ó≈ ∏∂œ÷ÿ Úœ∑∑Ç¿, …Œœ∂Ƀ≈√! [Not touch Russia-ACC, foreigner-NOM!] Don¢t touch Russia, you foreigner ! 10 The Nominative Case

ÙÉÃÿÀœ ∑À¡÷Ñ — ՜܃á≈, Œ≈ «π∫Ç∏≈ ∑≈∫Ö, Œ≈ ¥∂É∫π™∏≈. [Only say — young people-NOM, not destroy self-ACC, not try.] I have only one thing to say — young people , don’t destroy yourselves, don’t try it.

In the first two examples above, the naming function is being used to call someone a name. As the third example shows (a plea for young people not to use drugs), you can similarly The special use the nominative case to call out to someone to get their attention. Some languages have vocative form of a separate vocative case with its own endings where Russian uses NOMINATIVE: A NAME. NOMINATIVE: A NAME drops final Russian does have some special vocative case forms with people’s names and names of -¡/-µ. family members. If a name (usually a diminutive form) ends in -¡ or -µ it is not uncommon to hear Russians drop the last vowel when calling to a friend or relative. Thus you might hear ÔÃÿ! as well as ìõ!, ·Ã£¤! as well as ·Ã£¤¡!, and ÕÄÕ! as well as ÕÄÕ¡! Here’s an example of this truncated use of the NOMINATIVE: A NAME with the name ‰ÇÕ¡:

‰…Õ, À¡À ∏Ÿ ƒÑÕ¡≈¤ÿ, ÿ∫É◊ÿ ÕÅ÷ƒπ ÕÑ÷≈Õ … ÷≈ŒÉ™ ÕÉ÷≈∏ ∫Ÿ∏ÿ ◊ÅfiŒœ™? [Dima-NOM, how you-NOM think, love-NOM between husband-INST and wife- INST can be eternal-INST?] Dima, what do you think, can the love between a husband and a wife last forever?

There are two special naming forms (historical leftovers from a vocative case long ago lost in Russian) that can be used to appeal for divine assistance: ßÉ÷≈! ‘O God!’ (from ßœ« NOMINATIVE: A ‘God’) and ÁÉ∑¥œƒ… ‘O Lord’ (from Áœ∑¥Éƒÿ ‘Lord’). NAME with À¡À. As mentioned above, NOMINATIVE: A NAME can be introduced by the word À¡À ‘like’. Here are two examples of the parenthetical use of À¡À with the NOMINATIVE: A NAME:

ÔÀ¡⁄ÄÃœ∑ÿ, fi∏œ … ∏¡Œ√≈◊Ä∏ÿ Œ≈ πÕÅá … ∑…ƒÅá ∏Ç»œ, À¡À ÕŸ¤ÿ. [Turned-out, that even dance not knew and sat quietly, like mouse-NOM.] It turned out that she didn’t even know how to dance, and she sat quietly, like a mouse.

È µ, À¡À ÄŒƒ≈∂∑≈Œœ◊∑À…™ Àœ∂ÉÃÿ, …⁄ ◊∑≈» ∑…à ∑∏¡∂ÄÃ∑µ ∂¡⁄«ÃµƒÅ∏ÿ Ü∏π É∫áfiŒœ∑∏ÿ … ¥∂œ⁄∂ÄfiŒœ∑∏ÿ, Ü∏π ÕÑ⁄ŸÀπ ∫≈⁄ ∑Ãœ◊. [And I-NOM, like Andersen¢s king-NOM, from all strengths-GEN tried to see- through this cloudiness-ACC and transparency-ACC, this music-ACC without words- GEN.] And I, like Andersen¢s king (in the tale “The Emporer’s New Clothes”), tried with all my strength to see through this cloudiness and transparency, this music without words.

NOMINATIVE: A NAME 2—The subject of a sentence NOMINATIVE: A NAME as the subject of a In the expression of any more complex thought, the nominative names the subject, the sentence isn’t active head of most sentences. Because words are marked with cases, there is no need for a always at the beginning. nominative subject to be the first item in a sentence, as in English. The thing that identifies the subject is its nominative case, not its position; no matter where it is, it can be identified Nominative: a name 2 11 as nominative and therefore subject. As we will see, the same goes for the other cases as well: since each item in a sentence is flagged with a case ending indicating its role, the order of words doesn¢t matter as much. The word order we are familiar with from English is probably the most common one used in Russian, but there are many other possibilities, thanks to the fact that speakers of Russian can read the case flags no matter where they are waving. Here are some examples of nominative subjects, both at the beginnings of sen- tences and elsewhere:

Ó…À¡ÀÉ≈ ƒ∂π«É≈ ÇÕµ ◊ ∂Ñ∑∑Àœ™ ¥∂É⁄≈ ¥œ∑ÃŃŒ≈«œ ƒ≈∑µ∏…ÃÅ∏…µ Œ≈ ⁄◊πfiÇ∏ ∏¡À «∂ÉÕÀœ … ◊ŒÖ∏Œœ …, «ÃÄ◊Œœ≈, — ¥∂…◊Ã≈ÀÄ∏≈ÃÿŒœ. [No other name-NOM in Russian prose-LOC last decade-GEN not sound as loudly and distinctly and, mainly, — appealingly.] No other name in Russian prose of the last decade sounds as loud and distinct and, most importantly, — as appealing.

Ô∑É∫≈ŒŒœ ∑Àœ∂∫Ç∏ Ä◊∏œ∂ ¥œ ¥∂…∑Œœ¥ÄÕµ∏ŒŸÕ ◊∂≈Õ≈ŒÄÕ ÛÛÛÚ ∏∂…ƒ√Ä∏Ÿ» - ¥µ∏…ƒ≈∑Ö∏Ÿ» «œƒÉ◊. [Especially laments author-NOM along memorable times-DAT USSR-GEN thir- ties-GEN - fities years-GEN.] The author particularly laments the memorable times of the USSR of the 1930¢s - 1950¢s.

˛≈Õ œ∫≈∂Œ£∏∑µ ƒÃµ Úœ∑∑Ç… ¥œ∏Å∂µ ∑∏∂¡∏≈«Çfi≈∑Àœ«œ ∑Å◊≈∂Œœ«œ ∆œ∂¥É∑∏¡. [What-INST turn-into for Russia-GEN loss-NOM strategic northern outpost-GEN.] What the loss of a strategic northern outpost will mean for Russia.

˜ÇƒŒœ, Œ¡ ¥Éfi∏≈ fi∏É-∏œ ¥≈∂≈¥Ñ∏¡Ã…. Ó≈∏, Œ¡ ¥¡ÀÅ∏≈ ∏ÉfiŒœ ⁄ŒÄfi…Ã∑µ Õœ™ ă∂≈∑. [Clearly, at post-office-LOC something-ACC mixed-up. No, on package-LOC pre- cisely appeared my address-NOM.] Clearly they had made a mistake at the post office. No, it was precisely my address that appeared on the package.

˜œ ÕŒÅ, ≈∑∏Å∑∏◊≈ŒŒœ, Œ¡ÀĥÅ◊¡Ã∑µ ¥∂œ∏Å∑∏ ¥∂œ∏Ç◊ …» ±¥∂Ä◊ƒŸ≤. [In me-LOC, naturally, welled-up protest-NOM against their ±truth-GEN≤.] A feeling of protest against their ±truth≤ naturally welled up in me.

œÜ∏œÕπ-∏œ … ∂¡⁄◊…∏É™ ∑œ√…¡ÃÇ⁄Õ ∂Ñ»Œπà Œ≈ ∏ÉÃÿÀœ …⁄-⁄¡ ∏œ«É, fi∏œ ≈«É ◊œ⁄«Ã¡◊ÃÖÃ… ƒ∂ֻß≈ ∑∏Ä∂√Ÿ, Àœ∏É∂Ÿ» ¥∂…◊œƒÇÃ… Œ¡ ⁄¡∑≈ƒÄŒ…≈ ÀœÃÃÅ«… ¥Éƒ ∂πÀπ... [For that reason even mature socialism-NOM collapsed not just because that-GEN, that it-ACC headed decrepit elders-NOM, whom-ACC led at meeting-ACC col- leagues-NOM under hand-ACC...] That¢s why even mature socialism collapsed, not just because it was headed by decrepit elders whom colleagues led by the hand to the meeting... 12 The Nominative Case

The first example has the NOMINATIVE: A NAME subject at the beginning, the second example places it after the verb. The third example (the title of a newspaper article) shows the NOMI- NATIVE: A NAME subject deeply embedded in the sentence, and the same goes for the last three examples. Notice that the last example here has three clauses, all with nominative subjects; the second one is actually active (°decrepit elders headed it¢), but we used the passive voice in the smooth translation because English word order is not as flexible as Russian. The active phrase °decrepit elders headed it¢ would have put °decrepit elders¢ too far away from °whom¢. You will often encounter Russian sentences that cannot be said in the same way in English, and this will be reflected in our translations. NOMINATIVE: A The subject of a sentence need not engage in any real action in order to serve as the NAME as the source of energy for a verb; it can merely exist. Here is an example of NOMINATIVE: A NAME subject of ∫Ÿ∏ÿ ‘be’. serving as the subject for the verb ∫Ÿ∏ÿ °be¢:

˜ √ÅŒ∏∂≈ ¥≈∂≈«œ◊É∂œ◊ — ◊œ¥∂É∑Ÿ …∂ÄŒœ-∂œ∑∑Ç™∑Àœ«œ ∑œ∏∂уŒ…fi≈∑∏◊¡. [In center-LOC negotiations-GEN — questions-NOM Iranian-Russian collabora- tion-GEN.] Questions about Iranian-Russian collaboration are at the center of the negotiations.

NOMINATIVE: A This example follows the pattern of “at a location [center of negotiations ] there is an item NAME as the (subject) [questions ]”. Russian uses a specialized version of this construction to express subject of ∫Ÿ∏ÿ ‘be’, when used ‘have’, employing π ‘by’ + GEN to describe the location. Thus π Õ≈ŒÖ (≈∑∏ÿ) ÀŒÇ«¡ [by me- to express ‘have’. GEN (is) book-NOM], literally ‘by me there is a book’, is the most usual way of saying ‘I have a book’. The following example contains a metaphorical assertion of having familial attachments (roots being ancestors and shoots being offspring), followed by an assertion of existence (expressed by an archaic form of the verb ∫Ÿ∏ÿ °be¢):

ı Õ≈ŒÖ ≈∑∏ÿ ÀÉ∂Œ… … ≈∑∏ÿ ∂œ∑∏ÀÇ. ˙ŒÄfi…∏, µ ≈∑Õÿ. [By me-GEN are roots-NOM and are shoots-NOM. Means, I-NOM am.] I have roots and I have shoots . Therefore, I exist.

NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY 1—The Y in an X = Y sentence

NOMINATIVE: AN Even when you have already given IDENTITY with the something a name, you might want to verb ‘be’. give more information about the item, to tell us that it is big or unusual or what- ever. The basis of this submeaning is a N simple equation of the type x = y, where y is NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY. The bond between x and y is typically the verb NOMINATIVE:: AN IDENTITY (circle labeled N) ∫Ÿ∏ÿ °be¢ (which usually has a zero form is associated with another item (other circle) in the present tense). The other item, x, is typically NOMINATIVE: A NAME (just like the examples with ∫Ÿ∏ÿ °be¢ immediately above). This use of NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY is traditionally known as the “predicate nominative”. Nominative: an identity 1 13

Ó¡™ÕÄŒ — …Œ∏≈ÃÃ≈À∏πÄÃÿŒŸ™ Àœ◊∫É™. [Naiman-NOM — intellectual cowboy-NOM.] Naiman is an intellectual cowboy .

˜œœ∫›Å, ∂Ñ∑∑À…™ ÛÅ◊≈∂ — ≈›£ Œ≈∂¡⁄«Äƒ¡ŒŒ¡µ ∏Ä™Œ¡ Úœ∑∑Ç…. [In-general, Russian North-NOM — still unsolved mystery-NOM Russia-GEN.] In general, the Russian North is Russia’s as yet unsolved mystery .

‰ÉÃ÷≈Œ ¥∂…⁄ŒÄ∏ÿ∑µ, fi∏œ µ Œ≈ ∑œ◊∑ÅÕ ÷π∂Œ¡ÃÇ∑∏. [Must admit, that I-NOM not completely journalist-NOM.] I must admit that I am not exactly a journalist .

Óăœ …ÕÅ∏ÿ ◊ ◊…ƒÑ, fi∏œ œŒÄ fi≈Ãœ◊ÅÀ «Ãπ∫œÀÉ ◊Å∂π¿›…™. [Necessary have in view-LOC, that she-NOM person-NOM deeply faithful-NOM.] One has to keep in mind the fact that she is a person of profound faith.

Since both terms in the equation refer to the same thing, the item marked as NOMINATIVE: NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY with AN IDENTITY can be just an adjective, adding extra information, as in: adjectives.

Îœ◊∂Ç«…Œ ∑∏∂ĤŒœ ∂¡ŒÇÕŸ™ … ∫œÃÅ⁄Œ≈ŒŒœ fiÑ∏À…™. [Kovrigin-NOM terribly woundable-NOM and painfully sensitive-NOM.] Kovrigin is terribly easy to wound and painfully sensitive .

NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY in sentences with the x = y structure also marks the place where NOMINATIVE: AN short-form adjectives appear in Russian; indeed when you have only an adjective in this IDENTITY with short-form position, it is usually short-form, and short-form adjectives can only appear in the nomina- adjectives. tive case. Here are some examples:

œ∫Ń¡ ‰œ◊ÃÄ∏œ◊¡ Œ≈∑œÕŒÅŒŒ¡. [Victory-NOM Dovlatov-GEN indisputable-NOM.] Dovlatov¢s victory is indisputable .

ı∫Ç™√Ÿ ŒÄ¤≈«œ ◊œ÷ƒÖ ¥œÀÄ Œ≈ ŒÄ™ƒ≈ŒŸ. [Murderers-NOM our leader-GEN as-yet not found-NOM.] The people who murdered our leader have not yet been found.

È⁄◊Å∑∏Œœ, ⌜∑∏ÿ ƒœ◊Å∂fi…◊¡ … ÿ∫œ¥á∏Œ¡, ¡ ¥œ∏œÕÑ … ∫≈∑∑∏∂ĤŒ¡. [Known, youth-NOM trusting-NOM and curious-NOM, and for-that-reason also fearless-NOM.] It is well known that youth is trusting and curious and for that reason also fearless . Contrast between In reality there are two kinds of x = y expressions, the relatively simple identity de- NOMINATIVE: AN scribed here, and a different one that involves labeling x as a member of category y, in IDENTITY and INSTRUMENTAL: A which case y is marked as INSTRUMENTAL: A LABEL. Here is one example for comparison: LABEL with the verb ‘be’. 14 The Nominative Case

Ò ∫ŸÃ œƒŒœ◊∂≈ÕÅŒŒœ »Ç›Œ…ÀœÕ … ÷Å∂∏◊œ™. [I-NOM was simultaneously predator-INST and victim-INST.] I was simultaneously a predator and a victim .

NOMINATIVE: The use of INSTRUMENTAL: A LABELwill become clearer in the discussion of the instrumental AN IDENTITY may case in the following chapter. For now it is enough to note that although both the nomina- mark permanent identities, tive and the instrumental cases can be used to describe an item, NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY INSTRUMENTAL: A tends to describe inherent, unchanging properties, whereas INSTRUMENTAL: A LABEL tends to LABEL may mark temporary describe temporary, changing properties. Remember that an identity is something that is labels. permanent, whereas a label can be taken off and exchanged. Word order can be rearranged for this use of the nominative as well, as in this example:

Ó¡Ç◊ŒŸ≈ ÕŸ ◊∑£ ÷≈ Ã⃅! [Naive-NOM we-NOM after all people-NOM] We are after all naive people !

The normal word order, corresponding to the other examples we have seen, would of course be ÕŸ ◊∑£ ÷≈ Œ¡Ç◊ŒŸ≈ Ã⃅, but the word Œ¡Ç◊ŒŸ≈ has been moved to the beginning for emphasis.

NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY 2—Fixed X = Y expressions

fi∏œ ∏¡ÀÉ≈ + There are a couple of fixed expressions that use NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY. One is the NOMINATIVE: AN phrase fi∏œ ∏¡ÀÉ≈ + NOM ‘what is Y?’, which asks the hearer to identify the meaning of a IDENTITY expresses ‘what word that the speaker does not know. Here is an example of how this simple question can be is Y?’ embedded in a sentence for rhetorical effect:

˙ƒ≈∑ÿ, Àœ«ƒÄ ∑∏∂µ∑ÃÉ∑ÿ π Õ≈ŒÖ ∫œÃÿ¤É≈ «É∂≈, µ ¥œ⁄ŒÄá … fi∏œ ∏¡ÀÉ≈ Œ¡∑∏œÖ›…≈ ƒ∂π⁄ÿÖ. [Here, when shook-off by me-GEN big grief-NOM, I-NOM found-out also what- NOM such-NOM real friends-NOM.] Here, when I shook off the burden of grief, I also found out what true friends really are.

fi∏œ ⁄¡ + The use of NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY with the preposition ⁄¡ °behind¢ to mean ‘what kind of NOMINATIVE: Y is that?’ is not uncommon in spoken Russian: AN IDENTITY expresses ‘what kind of Y is ÙŸ ÕŒ≈ ÃÑfi¤≈ œ∫flµ∑ŒÇ, fi∏œ Ü∏œ ⁄¡ Ã⃅! that?’ [You-NOM me-DAT better explain, what-NOM that-NOM for people-NOM!] Then you explain to me what kind of people those are!

ñ∏œ ≈›£ fi∏œ ⁄¡ ŒÉ◊œ∑∏…? [That-NOM still what-NOM for news-NOM?] What kind of news is that now? Epilogue 15

˛∏œ ⁄¡ œ¥¥œ⁄…√…ÉŒŒ¡µ ¥Ä∂∏…µ — ∫áÃœ ≈›£ Œ≈ ∑œ◊∑ÅÕ Ö∑Œœ. [What-NOM for opposition party-NOM — was still not entirely clear.] What kind of opposition party — that was still not entirely clear.

NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY 3—X = Y reduced to X, Y

The construction associated with NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY can appear in an abbreviated NOMINATIVE: AN form, without any verb to connect the two entities (perhaps not such a big loss, since the IDENTITY can be used to give most common verb is ‘to be’, which is usually not expressed in the present tense, as shown specific names to in most of the examples in the preceding two sections). In this construction we see a word examples of that refers to a generic category (like ‘state’ or ‘novel’) followed by the specific name or title categories. of something in that category (like ‘Nevada’ or ‘The White Guard’), as in these two ex- amples:

1992 «. — ◊ ¤∏Ä∏≈ Ó≈◊ă¡ ¥∂œ…⁄◊≈ƒ£Œ ¥œ∑ÃŃŒ…™ Öƒ≈∂ŒŸ™ ◊⁄∂Ÿ◊. [1992 year-NOM — in state-LOC Nevada-NOM produced-NOM last nuclear ex- plosion-NOM.] The year 1992 — in the state of Nevada the last nuclear explosion is produced.

ë∑Ã… ◊ “ÌÄ∑∏≈∂≈ … Ì¡∂«¡∂Ç∏≈” …∂∂≈ÄÃÿŒœ≈ … ∆¡Œ∏¡∑∏Çfi≈∑Àœ≈ œ¥∂≈ƒ≈Ã≈ŒÉ ⁄ÄÕŸ∑ÃœÕ, ∏œ œ∏ ∂œÕÄŒ¡ “ßÅáµ «◊Ä∂ƒ…µ” Œ…À∏É Œ≈ œ÷…ƒÄà Յ∑∏Çfi≈∑À…» ¥∂…ÀÿfiÅŒ…™. [If in “Master-LOC and Margarita-LOC” unreal-NOM and fantastic-NOM deter- mined-NOM design-INST, then from novel-GEN “White Guard-NOM” no-one- NOM not expected mystical adventures-GEN.] Whereas in The Master and Mar garita unreal and fantastic elements were deter- mined by design, no one expected mystical adventures from the novel The White Guard.

Notice that the word for the generic category can be in any case (in these examples, ¤∏Ä∏≈ ‘state’ is in the locative, and ∂œÕÄŒ¡ ‘novel’ is in the genitive), but the actual name (com- monly known as an appositive) is in the nominative. The second example provides us with an opportunity to compare the effect of this use of the NOMINATIVE: AN IDENTITY with its absence. When the generic category is not stated, the title of the first book mentioned (The Master and Mar garita ) is declined, but when the generic term meaning ‘novel’ is used, the title (The White Guard ) appears in the nominative case.

EPILOGUE

To recap: the nominative case can be used to call someone or something by name, to name the subject of a sentence, and also to indicate the identity of an item. The nominative is all about naming, and it should not surprise you that the very term “nominative” is related to our English word name. Though not all Russian sentences have nominative subjects, the vast majority do, and your strategy should be to look first for a nominative subject and its 16 The Nominative Case

verb; once you find these two items, the rest of the sentence becomes easier to unpack. The remaining chapters of this book will reveal the meanings of the other cases and demonstrate their functions. Russian operates on an austere and powerful little system, using only six cases to describe all the possible relationships that human beings encounter in their lives. As the pieces fall into place, you will gradually become acculturated to the logic of Russian sentences and you will find that each case takes on a life of its own. 17