Difference between revisions of "Possessive constructions in Norwegian"

Revision as of 18:29, 20 December 2015

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Possessive construction here subsumes constructions with possessive pronouns and with NPs with an -s attached at the end (without apostrophe).

Forms of Possessive pronouns

Possessive pronouns come in three patterns:

Pattern 1 uses essentially a personal pronoun plus -s (see Personal pronouns in Norwegian); these forms have no inflection:

 hans ('his'),
 hennes ('her'), 
 dens ('its'), when the noun for the possessor is masculine or feminine gender, 
 dets ('its'), when the noun for the possessor is neuter gender, 
 dennes ('this one's'), when the noun for the possessor is masculine or feminine gender,
 dettes ('that one's'), when the noun for the possessor is neuter gender, 
 deres (your', plural), when the possessor is second person (the ones talked to), 
       OR
    ('their', plural), when the possessor is third person (what is talked about).

Pattern 2 is constituted by min ('my'), din ('your'), sin (reflexive 'his', 'her'), and these forms inflect as follows:

when the noun for the item possessed is a masculine singular noun:  min,  din,  sin
when the noun for the item possessed is a feminine singular noun: mi,  di,  si
when the noun for the item possessed is a neuter singular noun: mitt, ditt, sitt
when the noun for the item possessed is a plural noun, any gender: mine, dine, sine

Pattern 3 has one item, vår ('our'), which has the pattern: .

when the noun for the item possessed is a masculine singular noun:  vår
when the noun for the item possessed is a feminine singular noun: vår
when the noun for the item possessed is a neuter singular noun: vårt
when the noun for the item possessed is a plural noun, any gender: våre

Constructions using possessive pronouns

BEING WRITTEN

1. 'Possessive pronouns occurring before the noun

Possessive pronouns occupy the position otherwise held by the definite article, and they may be said to induce a definiteness effect in that they require the weak form of the adjective. Contrary to the definite article, however, the ensuing noun has to be in indefinite form:

2. 'Possessive pronouns occurring after the noun

For possessive pronouns, another position of occurrence is immediately after the noun, which then has to be in definite form:

3. Possessive pronoun occurring before the noun, together with a possessor NP

Possessive NPs with -s

TO BE WRITTEN

den rike bondens (tre) (små) griser

den rike bondens (lille) gris

• den rike bondens (tre) (små) grisene