Marking possession on nouns (Surgut Khanty)

Juxta: Possession is expressed through the juxtaposition of the possessor and the possessed noun.

PossSuff: Possession is expressed through the use of a suffix on the possessed noun.


(1) ʌājəm

man axe

‘the mans’s axe’


(2) äwi säm-ɣən

girl eye-du

‘the girl’s eyes’


(3) kāt paq-qən āŋki

two boy-du mother

‘the mother of the two boys’


(4) jūwan qūt-əʌ ťətti.

Juvan house-3sg here

‘Juvan’s house is here.’


(5) mīša rӯt-əʌ jəm.

Misha boat-3sg good

‘Misha’s boat is good.’


(6) tēm lēkər näm-əʌ qoʌnə?

this doctor name-3sg how

‘What’s the name of this doctor?’


In the Surgut Khanty possessive construction, if the possessor is expressed by a noun, the possessed entity does not take a personal suffix, irrespective of the number of the possessed entity or the possessor (1)–(3). The word order is fixed: the possessor precedes the possessed entity. However, if the possessive construction is the subject of a clause the predicate of which is not a verb, the noun denoting the possessed entity takes a personal suffix (4)–(6).

Author: 

Márta Csepregi