ATLAS OF LANGUAGE

AT-145-003 · ATLAS 251

Alienability

A linguistic distinction between inherently belonging and transferable possession.

Explanation

Alienable and inalienable possession are not a natural universal binary; languages classify bodies, kin and objects differently.

Example

Navajo distinguishes a woman's own milk from milk she owns; Acoma distinguishes an animal's horn from a horn owned by a person.

Counterexample

My inalienable house does not establish a grammatical alienability class.

Distinction

inherent belonging ↔ transferable possession

Effect on thought and perception

Shows whether possession is framed as control or as a constitutive relation.

Resonance

Belonging gains layers between body, relationship and disposal.

Cite this entry

Reich, Michael (Hrsg./ed.): „Alienability“. Atlas der Sprache, AT-145-003. ATLAS 251, data model 1.6.0. https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-145-003

https://atlasoflanguage.com/concept/AT-145-003

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