Datapoint Sranan/Existential verb and transitive possession verb

In general, existential de and transitive possessive abi ‘have’ are quite distinct. But the latter is also used to express a kind of existential meaning.

Values

Overlap

Example 2-198:
Mi no abi a bribi dati.
Mi
1sg
no
neg
abi
have
a
det
bribi
belief
dati.
dem
I don’t believe so.

Source: Winford 2002: 413

Example 2-199:
Pe wan pikin nengre de, zegen nanga blesi de ini a oso dati.
Pe
where
wan
art
pikin
small
nengre
child
de,
cop
zegen
blessings
nanga
and
blesi
blessings
de
cop
ini
in
a
det
oso
house
dati.
dem
Where there’s a child, there are blessings in that house.

Source: Winford 2002: 415

Example 2-200:
Mi no abi televisi na oso.
Mi
1sg
no
neg
abi
have
televisi
television
na
loc
oso.
house
I don’t have TV at home.

Source: Winford 2002: 413

Example 2-201:
Yu abi furu Sumter di mi no sabi.
Yu
2sg
abi
have
furu
many
Sumter
Sumter
di
that
mi
1sg
no
neg
sabi.
know
There are many people by the name of Sumter that I don’t know.
Example 2-202:
Den abi wan singi e singi taki lespeki no de moro.
Den
3pl
abi
have
wan
a
singi
song
e
ipfv
singi
sing
taki
comp
lespeki
respect
no
neg
de
cop
moro.
anymore
There’s a song that says that there’s no respect anymore.
Confidence:
Very certain