Datapoint San Andres Creole English/Marking of pronominal possessors

Adpositional marking with fi + possessor is not restricted to topicalized contexts, although some speakers use the construction only in them. Those speakers who use the construction even when the focus particle da does not occur in the sentence say it is more emphatic than the construction with a preposed possessive only.
In the 3rd person plural, some speakers perceive dehn to express collectivity as opposed to dem (individuality).

Values

Preceding word Frequency: 70.0%

Example 10-83:
Di pikniny dem tek out dem buk.
Di
art.def
pikniny
child
dem
pl
tek
take
out
out
dem
3pl.poss
buk.
book
Every child takes out their own book.

Source: Bartens 2003: 52

Example 10-84:
Di pikniny dem tek out dehn buk.
Di
art.def
pikniny
child
dem
pl
tek
take
out
out
dehn
3pl.poss
buk.
book
The children take out the book which belongs / the books which belong to all of them.

Source: Bartens 2003: 52

Example 10-85:
ihn buk
ihn
3sg
buk
book
his/her book
Confidence:
Very certain

Adpositional phrase preceding the possessum Frequency: 30.0%

Example 10-86:
Dis da fi wi langwij.
Dis
dem
da
foc
fi
for
wi
1pl.poss
langwij.
language
This is our language.

Source: Bartens 2003: 51

Example 10-87:
Fi mi buk de pan di tiebl.
Fi
for
mi
1sg.poss
buk
book
de
cop.loc
pan
upon
di
art.def
tiebl.
table
My book is on the table.
Example 10-88:
fi mi muma
fi
for
mi
1sg.poss
muma
mother
my mother
Confidence:
Very certain