The aversive or evitative case (abbreviated EVIT) is a grammatical case found in Australian Aboriginal languages that indicates that the marked noun is avoided or feared.
For example, in Walmajarri: Yapa-warntichild-ABS.PLpa-luIND-theytjurtu-karrarladust-AVERSIVElaparnkanjaran awaynatji-karti.cave-ALLYapa-warnti pa-lu tjurtu-karrarla laparnkanja natji-karti.child-ABS.PL IND-they dust-AVERSIVE {ran away} cave-ALLThe children ran into the cave because of the dust storm.The suffix -karrarla indicates that the action (running away) was carried out in order to avoid the dust storm, tjurtu-.
The aversive may also be used to mark the object of verbs of fearing.
For example, in Djabugay: Djama-lansnake-AVERSIVEŋawuIyarrnga-nj.be afraid-PASTDjama-lan ŋawu yarrnga-nj.snake-AVERSIVE I {be afraid-PAST}I was afraid of the snake.The aversive may be used on a nominalized verb, to produce an equivalent of English "lest".
Languages with a distinct aversive case include: