Datapoint Bahamian Creole/Marking of possessor noun phrases

The English possessive suffix is used variably in Bahamian Creole English but tends to become more frequent as one moves toward the acrolect. In more basilectal forms of Bahamian Creole English, simple juxtaposition of possessor and possessed is the norm.

Values

No marking Frequency: 50.0%

Example 12-80:
the boy uncle
the
art
boy
boy[poss]
uncle
uncle
the boy’s uncle

Source: Holm and Shilling 1982: X

Example 12-81:
Wally family over there. [...] Uh, my husband family.
Wally
Wally[poss]
family
family
over
over
there.
there
[...]
[...]
Uh,
uh
my
1sg.poss.det
husband
husband[poss]
family.
family
Wally’s family is over there. [...] My husband’s family.
Confidence:
Very certain

Adpositional or case marking of possessor Frequency: 50.0%

Example 12-82:
Yeah, this one, that was Philip's girls – they – he used to have a lot of girl. He used to have a lot of girl.
[...]
[...]
that
dem
was
3pl.cop.pst
Philip's
Philip.poss
girl-s
girl-pl
[...]
[...]
[...] those were Philip’s girls [...]
Confidence:
Very certain