Possessive Marker

The possessive marker pa= can take a classifier or a pronominal clitic. This is used with non-rational nouns, but not with obligatorily possessed nouns. The syntax is [noun] pa=[cls|pn] (optional possessor). 

Obligatorily possessed nouns (generally body parts) are possessed with a determiner + pronominal clitic before the noun. The optional possessor can appear before the determiner: (optional possessor) [det]+[pc] [noun].

For rational nouns, kinship terms come possessed, and the possessor can appear before the noun. For other rational nouns, the associative clitic =niki is used: (optional possessor) [noun]=niki.

Possessive marker pa= can be easily distinguished from relative marker =pa as it is always forms the beginning of a word.

List of Possessive Markers

  • pa [CL.POSS] belonging.to

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