Dem Herrgott sei Scheenster : on dative-marked nominal possessive constructions in East Franconian

Kurzfassung/Abstract

By integrating dialect data into typological theses on dative-marked nominal possessive constructions of the type dem Vater sein Hut, this article will continue recent approaches of both dialectological and typological research. By means of an empirical study, this article intends to not only describe the surface phenomena, but to uncover the underlying structure of this construction in East Franconian dialects. Language maps illustrate that instances of microvariation concerning the case-marking of the possessor (Wem vs. Wen vs. Wer seine Weiden sind das?) and the form of the possessive pronoun (meiner Tante ihr vs. sein Wirsing) are diatopically conditioned.