Both the accusative object and the dative object in a standard Marathi sentence are marked by the same suffixal form. That is, we note accusative-dative case syncretism in the standard dialect of Marathi. The term ‘objective’ is used to refer to this case syncretism. A typical accusative object and a dative object indicated by the single inflected form raṇila are seen in the following standard Marathi sentences respectively. ‘raǰane raṇila pahile’ (king-by queen-to saw; ‘The king saw the queen.’) and ‘raǰane raṇila har dila’ (king-by queen-to necklace gave; ‘The king gave the necklace to the queen.’) The suffixes [-la] (singular) and [-na] plural are used in standard Marathi to mark the case function ‘objective’. Variants of the objective were noted in the regional and social dialects in the survey, details of which are given below.
4.1.1 Dialectal variation in marking the {Objective}The objective case function is marked by nine variants forms in the various regional/social dialects of Marathi: (1) [-la/l], (2) [-le/l], (3) [-lə/l], (4) [-ka/k], (5) [-s], (6) [-na/n/nə], (7) [-hi/ha], (8) [-te], (9) [-ši]. The geographical distribution and examples of the variant forms are given below.
4.1.1.1 Variant 1: [-la/l]Variant [-la/l] of the objective case was noted in all the sampled districts in the state of Maharashtra.
4.1.1.1.1 Example (District Aurangabad, taluka Paithan, village Pachod, F40, Maratha, 6th) ह्या मुलीने पानी दिलं मुलाला hya muline pani dilə mulala hya muli-ne pani di-l-ə mula-la DEM.PROX.OBL girl.OBL-ERG water.3SGN give-PFV-3SGN boy.OBL-DAT This girl gave water to the boy. 4.1.1.1.2 Example(District Aurangabad, taluka Paithan, village Pachod, F40, Maratha, 6th ) काल एकानी आमालाठोकलय गाडीनं kal ekani amalaṭʰokləy ɡaḍinə kal eka-ni ama-laṭʰok-l-ə-y ɡaḍi-nə yesterday somebody-ERG we.EXCL-ACChit-PFV-3SGN-be.PRS car-INS Somebody hit us with a car yesterday. 4.1.1.2 Variant 2: [-le/l]Variant [-le/l] of the objective case was observed in twenty-two of the sampled 34 districts in the state of Maharashtra. The geographical spread of this variant and examples are given below:
| District | Taluka and Village |
|---|---|
| Chandrapur | Chandrapur - Chaknimbala and Datala,Rajura - Kadholi (Budruk) and Koshtala,Brahmapuri - Pachgaon and Torgaon (Budruk) |
| Gadchiroli | Gadchiroli - Khursa and Shioni,Korchi - Bori and Mohgaon |
| Gondia | Gondia - Temni and Tedhwa, Sadak Arjuni - Chikhali |
| Bhandara | Bhandara - Dhargaon and Mujbi, Tumsar - Lobhi and Bori |
| Nagpur | Nagpur - Yerla, and Sonegaon (Lodhi),Bhiwapur - Sawargaon and Botezari, Ramtek - Bhojapur, Narkhed - Umari and Pandhari |
| Wardha | Wardha - Karanji (Bhoge), Ashti - Khadka and Thar, Hinganghat - Ajanati and Poti,Selu - Wadgaon Jangli and Zadshi |
| Yavatmal | Ghatanji - Khapri and Kurli,Ner - Kolura and Dagad Dhanora |
| Amravati | Amravati - Sawardi and Malkapur,Warud - Satnur and Gadegaon, Daryapur - Bhambora, Jitapur and Bhamod, Dharni - Kawdaziri |
| Akola | Akola - Gopalkhed and Yeota |
| Washim | Washim - Shirputi, Risod - Ghonsar,Karnaja - Girda and Donad (Budruk) |
| Buldhana | Buldhana - Palaskhed Bhat and Warwand, Jalgaon-Jamod - Wadgaon Patan and Nimkarad,Shegaon - Shirajgaon (Nile) and Padsul |
| Hingoli | Hingoli - Karwadi, Kalamnuri - Morwad |
| Nanded | Nanded - Limbgaon, Mukhed – Shirur (Dabde) |
| Aurangabd | Aurangabad - Pimpalkhunta, Paithan - Pachod (Budruk), Soegaon - Ghosla and Palaskheda |
| Ahmednagar | Ahmednagar - Narayan Doho, Newasa - Khalapimpri |
| Jalgaon | Jalgaon - Dhamangaon and Wadli, Jamner - Wakod and Waghari, Raver - Nirul and Mangalwadi,Chalisgaon - Hatle and Dahiwad, Chopda - Vaijapur |
| Dhule | Dhule - Laling, Songir, Khede and Khordad,Shirpur - Ambe, Shingave and Boradi,Sakri - Dighave and Dhadne |
| Nandrubar | Nandrubar - Ghotane and Dhanora, Navapur - Khandbara and Chinchpada, Shahada - Prakasha and Shahada |
| Nashik | Nashik - Vilholi, Malegaon - Kalwadi,Satana - Mulher and Daregaon, Triambakeshwar - Goldari |
| Palghar | Dahanu - Bordi, Murbad and Pimpalshet,Talasari -Girgaon, Jawhar - Hateri, Mokhada - Dandwal and Karegaon |
| Thane | Murbad - Patgaon, Shahapur - Borsheti |
| Raigad | Karjat - Salokh |
Variant [-lə/l] of the objective case was observed in nineteen of the sampled 34 districts in the state of Maharashtra. The geographical spread of this variant and examples are given below:
| District | Taluka and Village |
|---|---|
| Chandrapur | Brahmapuri - Pachgaon and Torgaon (Budruk) |
| Gadchiroli | Gadchiroli - Khursa and Shioni |
| Gondia | Sadak Arjuni - Chikhali |
| Bhandara | Bhandara - Mujbi, Tumsar - Bori |
| Nagpur | Bhiwapur - Botezari and Bhiwapur |
| Yavatmal | Ner - Dagad Dhanora |
| Washim | Risod - Ghonsar |
| Buldhana | Jalgaon-Jamod - Wadgaon Patan,Shegaon - Shirajgaon (Nile) |
| Hingoli | Kalamnuri - Morwad |
| Latur | Latur - Babhalgaon |
| Jalna | Jalna - Dhawedi, Mantha - Uswad |
| Aurangabad | Aurangabad - Bhikapur-Naigaon,Paithan - Pachod (Budruk) |
| Jalgaon | Jalgaon - Dhamangaon, Jamner - Wakod and Waghari |
| Nandurbar | Navapur - Chinchpada |
| Nashik | Satana - Daregaon, Surgana - Surgana,Triambakeshwar - Goldari |
| Palghar | Vasai - Wagholi, Dahanu - Bordi and Murbad and Pimpalshet, Talasari - Udhwa and Girgaon,Jawhar - Hateri and Khambala,Mokhada - Dandwal and Karegaon |
| Thane | Shahapur - Borsheti and Chaundhe (Budruk) |
| Ratnagiri | Rajapur - Kumbhavade |
| Kolhappur | Kagal - Gorambe |
Variant [-ka/k] of the objective case was noted in four of the sampled 34 districts in the state of Maharashtra. The geographical spread of this variant and examples are given below:
| District | Taluka and Village |
|---|---|
| Kolhapur | Chandgad - Kodali, Radhanagari - Olavan |
| Sindhudurg | Dodamarg - Ayee and Matne, Malwan - Katta, Deulwada and Dandi, Kudal - Amrad, Mangaon and Kudal, Vengurla - Vengurla, Devgad - Taramumbri and Jamsande, Vaibhavwadi - Nadavde, Sawantawadi - Kolgaon and Satarde |
| Ratnagiri | Rajapur - Kumbhavade |
| Thane | Shahapur - Borsheti |
The use of the variant [-s] was observed in five of the sampled 34 districts only to mark the dative case relation. The geographical spread of this variant and examples are given below:
| District | Taluka and Village |
|---|---|
| Sindhudurg | Kudal - Kudal |
| Kolhapur | Kagal - Ekondi, Chandgad - Chandgad and Tudiye, Radhanagari - Sonyachi Shiroli |
| Solapur | Barshi - Gaudgaon |
| Latur | Latur - Tandulja |
| Nagpur | Bhiwapur - Sawargaon |
Variant [-na/n/nə] of the objective case was noted in four of the sampled 34 districts in the state of Maharashtra. The geographical and social spread of this variant and examples are given below:
| District | Taluka and Village |
|---|---|
| Raigad | Alibag - Mandwa, Bodni and Baple, Murud - Chinchghar, Shrivardhan - Bagmandla, Mahad - Narwan |
| Thane | Murbad - Patgaon (Agri community) |
| Palghar | Vasai - Kalamb (Mangela community) |
| Jalgaon | Jalgaon - Wadli (Maratha community) |
The variant [-hi/ha] of the objective case marking was noted only in the Wadwal community in Wagholi village and Mangela community in Kalamb village in Vasai taluka and in the Warli community in Girgaon village in Talasari taluka of Palghar district.
4.1.1.7.1 Example (District Palghar, taluka Vasai, village Wagholi, F61/41, Pachkalashi Wadwal, 9th, M.A.) तेही गाढ निज़ लागली tehi ɡaḍʰ nij laɡli te-hi ɡaḍʰ nij laɡ-l-i he.OBL-DAT deep sleep.3SGF attach-PFV-3SGF He fell into a deep sleep. 4.1.1.7.2 Example (District Palghar, taluka Vasai, village Kalamb, M80, Mangela, B.A.) त्यानं उप्पट मारली त्याही tyanə uppəṭ marli tyahi tya-nə uppəṭ mar-l-i tya-hi he.OBL slap.3SGF hit-PFV-3SGF he.OBL-ACC He slapped him. 4.1.1.8 Variant 8: [-te]The use of the variant [-te] was observed in the Roman Catholic Samvedi community in Nirmal village in Vasai taluka of Palghar district only to mark the dative case relation; the accusative is marked by the suffix [-la] in the speech of the same community.
4.1.1.8.1 Example (District Palghar, taluka Vasai, village Nirmal, M60, Roman Catholic Samvedi, B.A.) मते का करहें məte ka kərhẽ mə-te ka kər-hẽ I-DAT what do-NON.FIN What should I do? (= I am not concerned about this.) 4.1.1.9 Variant 9: [-ši]The use of the variant [-ši] was observed in the Katkari community in Salokh village in Karjat taluka of Raigad district only to mark the dative case relation; the accusative is marked in the speech of this community by the forms [-la] and [-le]. Note that an example of the canonical function of the dative case (i.e. to mark the recipient) was not recorded in the survey; the dative [-ši] is used in example 4.1.1.9.1 to indicate the purpose of the action.
4.1.1.9.1 Example (District Raigad, taluka Karjat, village Salokh, F25, Katkari, Illiterate) मंजुरीशी ज़ातो आमी məñjuriši jato ami məñjuri-ši ja-t-o ami daily wages-DAT go-IPFV-1PL we.EXCL We go for daily wages.
