4.2.1.2. Possessive markers
In LSC there are two linkers or possessive markers, of and kinship, that overtly express a possessive relation between possessum and possessor.
The possessive marker OF frequently appears between the possessor and the possessed noun.
book of teacher.
‘The teacher’s book.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 36)
Possessive marker of
However, when referring to abstract possessive relations, belonging, or part-of relations, the possessor tends to occur after the linker of.
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a) student of university strike.
‘The university students are on strike.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 43)
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b) director of company killed.
‘The company director has been killed.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 43)
This is not always the case, though. In some occasions, it is possible to reverse the order of possessor and possessum within the noun phrase, as in the next example of a part-whole relation.
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chalet of roof broken.
‘The roof of the chalet is broken.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 44)
The possessive marker of can appear either with nouns or with possessives (poss and own). However, this strategy is more common in the case of poss than with the possessive own.
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a) country of poss flag colour red.
‘The colour of that country’s flag is red.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 40)
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b) ix2 computer of poss2 ix3 steal.
‘He stole your computer.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 40)
wh
c) lsc of own who.
‘Whose own language is LSC?’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 41)
When personal pronouns are used to refer to possessors, they can also co-appear with the construction marker of.
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a) history of ix1pl little different.
‘Our history is a bit different.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 38)
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b) ix3 andrés ix1 of teacher.
‘Andrés is my teacher.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 38)
The construction marker kinship presents a more restricted distribution, since it is only used to express kin relationships.
kinship marker
The construction marker appears before the kin expression and the noun phrase denoting the possessor usually occurs in the first position.
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a) woman neighbour ix3 kinship daughter ix3+3 marry day self.
‘The two daughters of the neighbour got married on the same day.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 44)
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b) sister_in_law kinship daughter operate_on_nose.
‘(My) sister-in-law’s daughter had her nose operated.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 44)
The very same device is used to denote analogous relations between humans, such worker-boss, professor-student or colleague-colleague.
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a) ix3 professor kinship student leave travel u.s. e-e-u-u.
‘That professor’s student has left for a trip to the US.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 44)
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b) francisco kinship colleague arrive++ on_time++.
‘Francisco’s colleague always arrives on time.’
(based on Quer & GRIN, 2008: 44)