semigenitive

Semigenitive is a linguistic term used to describe a subset of languages whose possession systems are partially genitive. The word combines semi- with genitive to signal that genitive marking is present but not universally applied across all possessive relationships. In semigenitive systems, genitive morphology may appear in some domains or with certain noun classes, while other possessive expressions rely on alternative strategies such as analytic constructions, possessive adjectives, or adpositional phrases.

In typological discussions, semigenitive systems are contrasted with full genitive systems, where possession is consistently marked by a single genitive case, and with non-genitive systems, where possession is expressed by means other than genitive marking. The defining feature of semigenitive languages is their partial or selective use of genitive marking, which can vary by semantic domain (for example, kinship terms or inalienable nouns more often bearing genitive marking) or by grammatical context (certain syntactic environments may require genitive, others do not).

The exact realization of semigenitive marking can differ across languages. Morphological realization may be affixes, clitics, or determiner-based markers attached to the possessor or possessed noun. Word order and the interaction with other possession strategies (such as analytic forms or noun classifiers) also vary, contributing to a mosaic that resists a single descriptive template.

The term is used in some linguistic surveys to capture partial genitive phenomena and to discuss how possession systems can blend strategies rather than conform to a binary genitive/non-genitive distinction. See also genitive case, possession, and typological morphology for related concepts.