2.1.5.1. Possessives
At the sentential level, the main tool that LSC has as its disposal to express predicative possession is the use of the construction there_be, with the predicate in sentence-final position.
ix1 money there_be.
‘I have money.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 46)
Predicate there_be
The same construction can be used either in possessives or existential/locative constructions, but the latter might trigger some extra locative index or localizing classifier construction [SYNTAX 2.1.5.2].
The sign there_be is articulated with tongue wiggling. When the manual predicate is omitted, the non-manual can be coarticulated with the possessed noun.
tongue-wg
ix1 money.
‘S/he has money.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 48)
There is a negative counterpart of this predicate, the sign there_be_not, which incorporates the negation in the articulation of the sign.
Predicate there_be_not
there_be and there_be_not are used to express both alienable and inalienable possession. Specifically, kin terms usually appear with these predicates.
top hn
a) ix3 sibling there_be.
‘S/he does have siblings.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 48)
b) ix3 sibling there_be_not.
‘S/he doesn’t have siblings.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 48)
There is one exception, though: inalienable body parts cannot appear with there_be. However, they can appear with the negative predicate there_be_not.
hs
ix3 eye one there_be_not.
‘S/he lacks one eye.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 47)
If theme nouns are modified, the modifier usually appears after the predicate, as in the examples below with quantifiers.
a) ix1 problem there_be one.
‘I have a problem.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 48)
top top top
b) dh ix3 there_be sibling two, ix(first) man ix(second) woman.
ndh list (Y)
‘S/he has a brother and a sister.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 48)
Another option to express possession within the clausal domain consists in the use of the predicate have. However, its distribution is more restricted, since it is used exclusively to express alienable possession. Therefore, it cannot be used to express possession of body parts, kindship terms, locative/part-whole relationships, and psychological-physical states.
ix1 bicycle have two.
‘I have two bicycles.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 51)
Possessive predicate have
There exists a negative form have_not, with negation incorporated into the articulation of the verb.
ix3 cell phone have_not.
‘S/he does not have a cellphone.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 51)
The predicate belong is related to the possessive marker of [SYNTAX 4.2.1.2], but the verb is articulated with two contacts instead of just one, as in the case of the possessive linker.
Possessive predicate belong
The verb belong takes the possessed theme as subject, as in the examples below:
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a) barcelona city belong catalonia.
‘The city of Barcelona belongs to Catalonia.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 51)
top
b) exercise ix belong lesson other.
‘These exercises belong to another lesson.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 51)
top
c) ix car belong boronat.
‘That car belongs to Boronat.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 51)
In the case of inalienable possession, a common mechanism used in LSC is zero marking, particularly in the case of body parts – since the construction there_be cannot be used –, and kin terms – which can appear either in zero marking constructions or with the verb there_be –.
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a) ix1 sibling four.
‘I have four siblings.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 49)
b) ix3 children two blond.
‘S/he has two blond children.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 49)
c) ix3 memory very_good.
‘S/he has very good memory.’/ ‘Her memory is very good.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 50)
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d) goat leg four.
‘A goat has four legs.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 50)
Zero marking is also used to denote physical and mental states.
a) ix3 headache.
‘He has a headache.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 50)
b) ix1 fear.
‘I’m scared.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 50)
c) ix3 patience.
‘S/he has got patience.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 50)
However, when the mental state is negated, the use of the negative existential there_be_not is required in the clause.
a) fear there_be_not.
‘I’m not scared.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 50)
b) shame there_be_not.
‘I’m not ashamed.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 50)
Finally, LSC can also express possessive relations using possessive and personal pronouns or possessive NPs as predicates in attributive sentences. Due to the fact that LSC does not have a copula to_be, the possessive predicates just mentioned appear alone. Importantly, pronouns in predicative position are reduplicated.
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a) ix book ix1++.
‘That book is mine.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 52)
top hn
b) lse poss++.
‘LSE is theirs (language).’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 52)
Pronouns used as nominal predicates in attributive sentences can appear with the possessive marker of.
top hn
a) lse of poss++.
‘LSE is theirs (language).’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 52)
top hn
b) lse of ix3++.
‘LSE is his/hers (language).’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 52)
As mentioned, possessive noun phrases can also function as nominal predicates:
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a) delfina signing poss++.
‘That is Delfina’s way of signing.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 52)
b) ix josep work poss++.
‘That’s Josep’s work.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 52)