Variación y cambio en la posesión nominal en micmac

Abstract

Micmac has two noun classes: animates (plural -k) and inanimates (plural -I). The nominal possession paradigm uses prefixes and suffixes to indicate the person/number of the possessor. Prefixes are: k- (any second person possessor); if not; n-; with any first person possessor; and finally w-for 3rd person possessors. Nouns are ‘inalienable’ or \alienable’; which have different kinds of possession. In alienable nouns; the order of preference for the persons changes from (2; 1; 3) to (1; 2; 3) (the second order being normal for English); a change in progress. Plural possessors involve suffixes; different for each different person. Some nouns add the suffix -m-. The changes are attributable to Micmac/English bilingualism; which has produced a possession system in change towards English. The examples are discussed in detail; with paradigms and examples in an appendix. The facts are characterized; and the variable facts of change are indicated.