omastavat

Omastavat is a term used in linguistic typology to describe a class of possessive constructions that encode a self-referential or emphatic sense of ownership. In this framework, the possessor is marked not only for possession but for stance or emphasis, often when the speaker wants to foreground personal ownership as a subjective claim. The term derives from the Finnish word oma meaning "own" and is used to distinguish ordinary possessives from those with extra pragmatic force.

Morphology and syntax: In languages described as having omastavat, possessive marking may co-occur with emphatic elements or with reflexive pronouns, or be expressed by a dedicated determiner or clitic meaning "one's own." The exact realization varies by language and can include different markers, word orders, or combinations of elements to signal emphasis.

Usage and examples: English offers a familiar near-equivalent with expressions like "my own book," which emphasize personal ownership beyond a simple possessive. In other languages, omastavat-like devices may require specific constructions or additional words to signal emphasis, and cross-linguistic patterns show variety in how emphasis is integrated with possession.

See also: possessive pronoun, emphatic possession, reflexive, linguistic typology.