Predicative possession in Mande languages

Abstract

This article discusses the typology of predicative possession in Mande languages and compares the diversity observed in this domain across the Mande language family with that observed elsewhere in the world, in particular in the language families of West Africa that are in contact with the Mande family. Of the two major types of possessive clauses that have been identified in the world’s languages, possessive clauses that can be rendered literally as ‘In.the.sphere.of Possessor (is) Possessee’ are by far the most widespread type in the Mande language family, whereas possessive clauses projected by a transitive ‘have’ verb are quite marginal. Moreover, possessive clauses that can be rendered lirerally as ‘Possessor’s Possessee exists’, which constitute a rare type at world’s level, are common in South and East Mande.

Keywords

• Mande
• language contact
• postposition
• typology
• predicative possession
• ‘have’ verb