Re: Double construct state?

On 5/24/06, Peter Bleackley <Peter.Bleackley@...> wrote:
> How is the construct state used in Semitic languages to express a
> possession of a possession (ie X of the Y of the Z)?
Ah! I just read about that yesterday :)

In Maltese, at least, this occurs and you have X.SC Y.SC Z for "X of
the Y of Z" (or Z.DEF at the end for "X of the Y of *the* Z").
However, this three-element construction is said to be fairly rare.

Note that the construct state is usually the same as the basic form of
the noun in Maltese, except for feminine words of Arabic origin ending
in -a and the word "iben" (son).

The example sentences given are "isem omm missieri" = "the name of the
mother of my father" and "kunjom omm il-Gran Mastru" = "the surname of
the mother of the Grand Master".

Cheers,
--
Philip Newton <philip.newton@...>