Definition & Meaning of "tripartite alignment"

What is "tripartite alignment"?

Tripartite alignment is a grammatical system in which the subject of an intransitive verb, the subject of a transitive verb, and the object of a transitive verb are marked distinctly from one another. This means that each of the three roles is treated differently, often using unique morphological markers or case distinctions. Tripartite alignment is relatively rare among the world's languages but can be found in some languages like Nez Perce and certain Australian Aboriginal languages. This system allows for a clear differentiation of roles within a sentence, providing a nuanced way to express grammatical relationships and contributing to the overall complexity of the language's structure.