Datapoint Palenquero/Marking of possessor noun phrases

Palenquero expresses the nominal relation of possessed + possessor in two ways: via a direct construction (juxtaposition of elements), or via one in which ri ‘of’ (variants re, de, di, i, e, etc.) connects the two nouns. The relation between two nouns (N + N) or between a noun and nominal substitute (N + Pro) is always expressed in the order possessed + possessor.

We and other specialists (Patiño Rosselli (1983) included) of Palenquero have generally assumed that there exists no semantic difference between the direct and the indirect constructions. Moñino now makes compelling arguments that the situation is not as simple. In N+N syntagms, free variation indeed seems to be occurring so that kala Lole ‘Lole’s face’ could thus just as well have been expressed via kala ri Lole without any change in meaning.

However, in N + P syntagms, the selection between direct and indirect construction is conditioned by the semantic category of the noun. With 1st- and 2nd-person possessive adjectives, a finite list of nouns denoting body parts and family relationships only admit the direct construction (thus tatá sí ‘your dad’ but never *tatá ri sí. With other nouns, the direct as well as the indirect construction is admissible.

Values

Adpositional or case marking of possessor Frequency: 70.0%

Example 48-62:
kasa ri numano mi
kasa
house
ri
of
numano
brother
mi
my
the house of my brother / my brother's house
Spanish: la casa de mi hermano
Example 48-63:
ma etulé ri Palengue
ma
pl
etulé
student
ri
of
Palengue
Palenque
the students of Palenque
Spanish: los estudiantes de Palenque
Confidence:
Certain

No marking Frequency: 30.0%

Example 48-64:
kabesa ngombe
kabesa
head
ngombe
cow
the cow's head OR: the head of the cow
Spanish: la cabeza de la vaca
Example 48-65:
kala Gutabo
kala
face
Gutabo
Gustavo
Gustavo's face
Spanish: la cara de Gustavo
Confidence:
Certain