Re: variable pronouns

* Jim Grossmann <steven@...> [000822 00:12]:
> In Steven Pinker's "The Language Instinct," a read that some languages have
> distinct forms for pronouns that stand for variables.   So if our variable
> pronoun = X, then we'd have sentences like this:   "Everyone returned to X's
> seat" for "Everyone returned to his/their seat."
>
> Can anyone name any languages that have such pronouns?
>
> Can anyone describe the variable pronouns that occur in their own natlangs
> or conlangs?
I don't know if this is what you meant... but in Norwegian you have the
"garpe-genitiv" (Garp's genitive), a "universal" possesive pronoun
agreeing with the posessee not the posessor:

sin (m/f) si (f) sitt (n) sine (pl)

Your example sentence could be either (stunt-translated):

 +---------------------------+
 V                           |
Alle gikk tilbake til setet sitt

or

Alle gikk tilbake til setene sine

It is sometimes used instead of genitive-s:

husets hund > huset sin hund

hus -et = house, neuter definite singular
hund = dog, masculine indefinite singular

and sometimes for emphasis

min sin hund

min = my, masc/fem singular

Its use is regarded as substandard and childish by some, much like
double negatives in English I suppose, but they're quite versatile and
handy and some of the needed workarounds (involving other possesive pronouns)
can be quite inelegant, not that I can improvise an example here and now.


t.