Neutr: Case alignment is neutral: the functions S, A, and P are not marked morphologically.
NoSMark: The function S is not explicitly marked, while P, A, or both are marked. S is therefore marked with a zero (∅) morpheme.
(1) mā ńax-l-ǝm.
I laugh-prs-1sg
‘I’m laughing.’ (S. O.)
(2) pox ńax-l.
boy laugh-prs.3sg
‘The boy is laughing.’ (S. O.)
(3) luw pisma xanš-l.
(s)he letter write-prs.3sg
‘(S)he is writing a letter.’ (S. O.)
(4) mā luwel kaš-l-em.
I (s)he.acc look_for-prs-obj.1sg
‘I’m looking for him/her.’ (S. O.)
(5) mā šaŋkǝp-l-ajǝm.
I sweat-prs-pass.1sg
‘I’m sweating.’ (M. L.)
In Synya Khanty, the S (1) and the A (2)–(3) arguments are marked by the nominative case in the active voice, nominal P arguments are unmarked (3), while pronominal ones are marked (4). The verb agrees with the subject in person and number (Honti 1984: 88, 93‒96, Nikolaeva 1999a: 30‒34, 38‒39, Solovar 2009, 2010, Kulonen 1989). Perception and change-of-state intransitive verbs often appear in passive constructions (5) where the S argument is in the nominative in contrast to the A which takes the locative case in a passive construction. (M. L., S. O., F. L.).