Nominal Structures of Uralic Languages

Word orders can be identical in these two constructions, but there are several differences. Predicative possessions must have a non-specific subject and the possessive relation is always marked on the possessee.

Mari-nak	van	(*a)	kutya*(-ja).
Mary-DAT	be.3SG	the	dog-POSS

’Mary has a dog.’

Source: Example provided by database editor (native speaker).

True locatives have a specific (topical) subject and are categorical sentences. There is no possessive or agreement marking on the subject. The example below sounds odd, and as a matter of fact, can only mean that the dog is dedicated to Mary.

A	kutya	Mari-nak	van.
the	dog	Mary-DAT	be.3SG

’The dog is for Mary.’

Source: Example provided by database editor (native speaker).

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nonverbal predication

possession

predicative possession

in Linguistic terms and definitions.