Predicative possession in Mande languages

This article discusses the typology of predicative possession in Mande languages and compares the diversity observed in this domain across the Mande language family with that observed elsewhere in the world, in particular in the language families of West Africa that are in contact with the Mande fam...

Descrizione completa

Salvato in:
Dettagli Bibliografici
Pubblicato in:URI:https://journals.openedition.org/mandenkan,
Autore principale: Creissels, Denis
Natura: Article ou chapitre numérique
Lingua:Anglais
Pubblicazione: Mandenkan 2025
Soggetti:
Accesso online:Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM
Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM
Descrizione
Riassunto:This article discusses the typology of predicative possession in Mande languages and compares the diversity observed in this domain across the Mande language family with that observed elsewhere in the world, in particular in the language families of West Africa that are in contact with the Mande family. Of the two major types of possessive clauses that have been identified in the world’s languages, possessive clauses that can be rendered literally as ‘In.the.sphere.of Possessor (is) Possessee’ are by far the most widespread type in the Mande language family, whereas possessive clauses projected by a transitive ‘have’ verb are quite marginal. Moreover, possessive clauses that can be rendered lirerally as ‘Possessor’s Possessee exists’, which constitute a rare type at world’s level, are common in South and East Mande.