noun
ergative case
Linguistics term for a case that marks the subject of a transitive verb and the object of an intransitive verb in ergative-absolutive languages.
バスク語には能格がある。
Basque has an ergative case.
能格言語では、他動詞の主語が能格で示される。
In ergative languages, the subject of a transitive verb is marked with the ergative case.
Compound of 能 (ability, function) and 格 (case), likely a calque from Western linguistic terminology.