Nota Genitivi za- in Epigraphic Geez

Abstract

The paper discusses the use of the analytic genitive construction with nota genitivi za- in Epigraphic Geez. This construction is attested in Geez inscriptions, though considerably less frequently than the synthetic genitive construction. In most cases za- is used when the synthetic construction is impossible or at least undesirable due to morphological or syntactic reasons. Nota genitivi za- is sometimes attested in a genitive construction without overt head. There are also a few examples of nota genitivi za- used apparently as a free variant of the synthetic construction. These data are mostly in accordance with the facts of Classical Geez. However, they differ in one point: whereas for Classical Geez a separate function of the genitive construction with za- has been established, namely, to express the so-called genitive of material, there is no reason to assume that za-constructions had such a function in Epigraphic Geez.

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