La posesión alienable y la inalienable: ¿oposición o continuidad? El ejemplo del purhépecha

Abstract

There are différents ways to express possession. In this paper; I principally emphasize the value of the information which is included in the possessor's mark. As a consequence; I present two paradigms which permit to express possession: the possessive pronouns (“alienable”) and the possessive suffixes (“inalienable”). The inalienable relation can be described as natural; essential and permanent. It includes the notion of integration of the possessed object. In return; the alienable relation can be defined as acquired; optional and temporal. According to the syntactical level; the way the units of these classes works is different; especially the type of relation they have with the other terms of the language. On the semantic level; these units can express the existence of an association between two entities; in which one participates in the personal sphere of the other. We can analize these two types of relation admitting two extreme poles: on the one hand; the maximum integration of the object; and; on the other hand; the no-integration. Between these opposed poles; exists a graduation in the use of the marks of the possession which permits the existence of a continuity.