Genitives and proper name compounds in German
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Barbara Schlücker
Abstract
This paper deals with an issue related to the syntax-morphology interface, namely the comparison of proper name compounds and genitives in German. It has been claimed in the literature that proper name compounds have recently increased in use at the expense of the genitive. For this reason, proper name compounds are sometimes considered as competitors to the genitive. A prerequisite for this assumption is that both constructions are equivalent with respect to meaning and function. The paper examines the relevant properties of both constructions. It is argued that there is no true meaning equivalence between proper name compounds and genitives. However, specific subtypes of proper name compounds and genitives that exhibit a substantial amount of semantic overlap are identified. It is discussed under which circumstances they can be used interchangeably.
Abstract
This paper deals with an issue related to the syntax-morphology interface, namely the comparison of proper name compounds and genitives in German. It has been claimed in the literature that proper name compounds have recently increased in use at the expense of the genitive. For this reason, proper name compounds are sometimes considered as competitors to the genitive. A prerequisite for this assumption is that both constructions are equivalent with respect to meaning and function. The paper examines the relevant properties of both constructions. It is argued that there is no true meaning equivalence between proper name compounds and genitives. However, specific subtypes of proper name compounds and genitives that exhibit a substantial amount of semantic overlap are identified. It is discussed under which circumstances they can be used interchangeably.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
-
Introductory overview
- Genitives in Germanic 3
-
Portraits of lesser studied languages
- A new perspective on the Luxembourgish genitive 15
- Frisian genitives 37
-
Genitive markers and their destinies
- On the motivation of genitive‑ s omission in Contemporary German 65
- From genitive suffix to linking element 91
- The development of non-paradigmatic linking elements in Faroese and the decline of the genitive case 115
-
‘Genitives’ in nominal configurations
- The Genitive Rule and its background 149
- From genitive inflection to possessive marker? 189
- Yiddish possessives as a case for genitive case 231
-
Genitives and their functional competitors
- Genitives and proper name compounds in German 275
- On the role of cases and possession in Germanic 301
- Index 325
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
-
Introductory overview
- Genitives in Germanic 3
-
Portraits of lesser studied languages
- A new perspective on the Luxembourgish genitive 15
- Frisian genitives 37
-
Genitive markers and their destinies
- On the motivation of genitive‑ s omission in Contemporary German 65
- From genitive suffix to linking element 91
- The development of non-paradigmatic linking elements in Faroese and the decline of the genitive case 115
-
‘Genitives’ in nominal configurations
- The Genitive Rule and its background 149
- From genitive inflection to possessive marker? 189
- Yiddish possessives as a case for genitive case 231
-
Genitives and their functional competitors
- Genitives and proper name compounds in German 275
- On the role of cases and possession in Germanic 301
- Index 325
