The inflection of adjectives (also known as adjectival declension) refers to the phenomenon in which morphologically distinct forms of an adjective are used to mark case. From a typological perspective, sentences featuring qualitative adjectives[1] in adnominal (attributive) function should be considered. Morphonophological alternation alone does not mark case.[2] If multiple strategies exist to mark case in the given language, the primary (structurally dominant) strategy should be considered.
Types:
NoCase: The language does not have case inflection.
NoAdjCase: Case is not marked on adnominal adjectives.[3]
CaseAdjAff: Case is marked on adnominal adjectives using suffixes.
CaseAffAdj: Case is marked on adnominal adjectives using prefixes.
CaseTon: Case is marked on adnominal adjectives using tone.
CaseInflex: Case is marked on adnominal adjectives using phonemic differences in the noun stem (internal flexion).
CaseMix: Case is marked on adnominal adjectives using various strategies, with no dominant strategy.[4]
[1] Qualitative adjectives prototypically describe shape, size or color. In terms of this parameter, it is irrelevant whether case forms mark the arguments of the verb or other adverbial functions.
[2] If, for example, case is marked through the use of affixes, it is irrelevant whether the affix attaches to the base form of the adjective or a variant. Morphological variation of the adjective is only relevant when it functions to mark case.
[3] This value allows for the possibility that other case may be marked on other word classes, particularly nouns. This should be explained in the commentary.
[4] This should be explained in the commentary.