genitivetype

Genitivetype is a term used in linguistic typology to categorize how languages encode possession and related relationships through the genitive. In a genitive-type system, the possessive relation is expressed by a genitive marker on the noun or by a periphrastic construction that uses a genitive preposition or particle. The concept covers a range of constructions that serve to mark ownership, part-whole relations, attribution, and other close associations between nouns.

Common subtypes include:

- Morphological/genitive type: possession is signaled by a genitive form attached to the noun, such as a case ending or affix, or by a genitive pronoun dependent on the possessor.

- Analytic/prepositional (of) genitive: possession is expressed with a preposition or prepositional phrase, as in a contraction or periphrastic form like “of the …” in many languages.

- Double genitive: a combination of a genitive marker and a prepositional phrase to express possession or related relations.

Range of use: Genitive constructions can encode more than ownership, including part-whole relations, measure, source, material, and attribution. They interact with broader noun phrase typology, such as the balance between genitive morphology and analytic possessives, or between head-marking and dependent-marking systems in clause structure.

Typological relevance: Genitivetype is one of several strategies languages use to express possession. Some languages rely predominantly on morphological genitive marking, while others favor analytic constructions with prepositions or possessive adjectives. The category is used to compare how languages organize noun phrases and how possession is integrated into grammar, contributing to cross-linguistic studies of syntax and typology.

See also: possessive construction, genitive case, noun phrase.