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How does Fijian distinguish inalienable possession from alienable possession?
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Austronesian languages
Major divisions of the Austronesian languages.
In Fijian, the distinction between inalienable and alienable possession is marked by how the possessive pronoun is attached to the noun.1
- Inalienable possession: This category includes body parts, certain kinship ties, and spiritual aspects such as a person's name or shadow. It is expressed by suffixing a possessive pronoun directly to the possessed noun. For example, na mata-na translates to "his eye" (literally, "[article] eye-his").1
- Alienable possession: This relationship is expressed by suffixing the possessive pronoun to a preposed classifying particle. This particle specifies the nature of the relationship between the possessor and the object. Examples include na no-na vale ("his house," using a neutral classifier), na ke-na ika ("his fish to eat," using an edible classifier), and na me-na dovu ("his sugarcane to suck," using a drinkable classifier).1
This system of possessive-marking is a notable structural characteristic found within many Oceanic languages.1