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How did Etruscan nouns show possession through suffixes?
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In the Etruscan language, possession is expressed through a system of declension that utilizes specific suffixes. A notable feature of this system is the genitivus genitivi, or "genitive of the genitive," which allows for multiple possessive suffixes to be added to a word in succession to indicate complex relationships of ownership.1
For example, the simple genitive of the proper name larth is larthal, meaning "Larth’s." By adding a second genitive suffix, the form becomes larthalisa, which translates to "of that which is Larth’s". These case endings are suffixed directly to the word stem in the singular, while in the plural, they are added to the stem following a plural marker such as ar, er, or ur.1