What grammatical case is "domestic cat"? - briefly
The phrase "domestic cat" is in the nominative case.
What grammatical case is "domestic cat"? - in detail
The phrase "domestic cat" comprises two words: "domestic" and "cat." To determine their respective grammatical cases, we need to examine each word's function within the phrase.
The term "domestic" is an adjective that modifies the noun "cat." In English grammar, adjectives typically do not inflect for case. They remain in their base form regardless of whether they are used as attributives (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb). Therefore, "domestic" is in the base form and does not change based on case.
The term "cat," however, is a noun that can take different grammatical cases depending on its function within the sentence. In the phrase "domestic cat," the noun "cat" is functioning as the head of the noun phrase. When used in this way—as a subject or object of a sentence—the noun is in the nominative case, also known as the common case or the base form. For example:
- The domestic cat is sleeping. (Subject)
- I saw the domestic cat. (Object)
In both instances, "domestic cat" serves as a single noun phrase where "cat" is the head noun and "domestic" is an attributive adjective modifying it. Therefore, in the phrase "domestic cat," the noun "cat" is in the nominative case, while the adjective "domestic" remains uninflected.
In summary, within the phrase "domestic cat":
- The adjective "domestic" is in its base form and does not inflect for case.
- The noun "cat" is in the nominative case, serving as the head of the noun phrase.