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<TITLE>Re: Lexicalization of case markers</TITLE>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><FONT FACE="Verdana">Kazuha Watanabe schrieb: <BR>
</FONT><BLOCKQUOTE><FONT FACE="Verdana">Dear all,<BR>
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I was wondering if anyone know any languages where a case marker is<BR>
lexicalized. Thank you so much.<BR>
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The following example may come close: in Dutch, “van” is the marker of the genitive/possessive. It’s of course not a bound marker (but a preposition, “of”), like in:<BR>
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De auto van mijn oom<BR>
The car of my uncle<BR>
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Now, in Afrikaans, this “van” also acquired the meaning of “surname, family name” - in Dutch names this is a very frequent element: van Dale, van de Kerkhof, you name it – it was certainly “degrammaticized” from here (and even names without any “van” are of course /van/s).<BR>
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Thus:<BR>
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Ek is Johan Marais. My van is Frans maar ek is ‘n Afrikaner.<BR>
I am J. M. my surname is French but I am an Afrikaaner<BR>
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The usual possessive construction in Afrikaans is (probably also possible in sub-standard Dutch, <B>certainly</B> in many substandard varieties of German – the latter I can vouch for, the former not):<BR>
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die vader se huis<BR>
The father his house<BR>
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<B>ut</B>:<BR>
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The possessive function of “van” has not died out in Afrikaans (at least not in the books...), so we do find also:<BR>
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die strale van die son<BR>
The beams of the sun<BR>
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So, maybe, this little example does not <B>quite</B> do the trick, but I think it comes somewhat close at least.<BR>
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Stefan<BR>
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And PS: on a somewhat less serious note: There is of course (english, german etc.) “Bus”, which is etymologically a shortening of Latin “omnibus”, with only the original Dative marker surviving as this neologism – thought I mention it for completeness’ sake, though it certainly is not much more than a curio item for linguistics...</FONT>
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