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Victo Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Vocative

See sentences below.

How are you doing, Mike.


Thanks, Tom.


Are the words 'Mike' and 'Tom' technically called vocatives?


And would you technically say that the words 'Mike' and 'Tom' are 'in the vocative case'?


Asking because I need to know how to explain this to somebody.


TY
  

Top answer

I associate the term 'vocative' with Latin grammar. I haven't encountered it in English grammar. I suppose you could call the names in your examples that, if you felt that explanation might help the person to understand.

— Clive

  • I associate the term 'vocative' with Latin grammar.
  • I haven't encountered it in English grammar.
  • I suppose you could call the names in your examples that, if you felt that explanation might help the person to understand.
  • But contrast it with an example like 'Mary loves Tom', where the names are clearly not vocatives.
  • ' as an interjection, rather like 'Listen, moron, that's a stupid idea'.
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2 Answers
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I associate the term 'vocative' with Latin grammar. I haven't encountered it in English grammar.

I suppose you could call the names in your examples that, if you felt that explanation might help the person to understand.
But contrast it with an example like 'Mary loves Tom', where the
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