Linearization of adnominal possessives in Gothic

Abstract

Abstract This chapter investigates Gothic evidence for the adnominal placement of possessive pronouns and genitive forms of personal pronouns. It takes as its basis the Majority (Byzantine) Text of the Greek New Testament, while comparing deviations from this with Alexandrian Greek, pre-Vulgate Latin, and Latin Vulgate readings. An analysis of all Gothic possessives in both the Bible and minor Gothic fragments shows that 98% match the linearization in the source texts. Among the 2% that do not are seventeen instances where the Gothic possessive is unattested in the source texts. Of these, as many as thirteen appear to the right of the noun, suggesting that this represented the neutral order of attributive possessives in Gothic. This evidence agrees with that of the Deed of Naples and the Bologna fragments. As a whole, however, the surface evidence of Gothic word order indicates that both prenominal and postnominal positioning of possessives were acceptable.