The genitive is an adnominal case whose core function is to mark a nominal whose referent (possessor) is connected by a possessive relation to the individual expressed by the phrase within which the genitive phrase is embedded (possessum) (Lander 2008: 581). Hence genitive construction is a kind of possessive construction. For example, in the standard Marathi sentence, hi maǰʰi baṭli ahe (this I-of bottle is ‘This is my bottle’) the inflection [-jʰ-] marks the possessive relation between the possessor mi ‘I’ and the possessum baṭli ‘bottle’.
1.0 Grammatical variation in marking the {Genitive 1st and 2nd person singular}Four variant forms were observed in the various regional dialects of Marathi for indicating the genitive function of 1st and 2nd person singular possessors: (1) [-j/jʰ/ǰ/ǰʰ-], (2) [Oblique form of possessor adnominal], (3) [-l-], (4) [-n-]. The geographical distribution and examples of the variant forms are given below.
1.1 Variant 1: [-j/jʰ/ǰ/ǰʰ-]The variant [-j/jʰ/ǰ/ǰʰ-] indicates the genitive function of 1st and 2nd person singular possessors in all the sampled districts in the state of Maharashtra. 1.1.1 Example (District Latur, taluka Latur, village Tandulja, M45, Mang, 12th माझे सद्याचे छंद काय नाही maǰʰe sədyače čʰənd kay nahi ma-ǰʰ-e sədya-č-e čʰənd kay nahi I.OBL-GEN-3PL current-GEN-3PL hobby.PL what NEG Currently I don’t have any hobbies. 1.2 Variant 2: [Oblique form of the possessor adnominal]
The oblique form of the first or second person possessor pronominal form is used as the genitive. The vowel (ə/a/i/o) following the genitive agrees with the gender of the possessed adnominal. This variant was noted in twenty-six of the 34 districts in the state of Maharashtra sampled for the SDML. The geographical spread of this variant and examples are given below:
| District | Taluka and Village |
|---|---|
| Chandrapur | Chandrapur - Chaknimbala and Datala,Rajura - Kadholi (Budruk) and Koshtala,Brahmapuri - Torgaon (Budruk) |
| Gadchiroli | Gadchiroli - Khursa and Shioni |
| Gondia | Gondia - Tedhwa |
| Bhandara | Bhandara - Dhargaon and Mujbi, Tumsar - Lobhi |
| Nagpur | Nagpur - Yerla and Sonegaon (Lodhi),Bhiwapur - Botezari, Ramtek - Karwahi and Bhojapur, Narkhed - Umri and Pandhari |
| Wardha | Ashti - Khadka and Thar, Selu - Wadgaon Jangli |
| Yavatmal | Ghatanji - Khapri and Kurli,Ner - Kolura and Dagad Dhanora |
| Amravati | Amravati - Malkapur, Daryapur - Bhambora, Jitapur and Bhamod,Dharni - Kawdaziri |
| Akola | Akola - Yeota |
| Washim | Washim - Shirputi, Risod - Ghonsar,Karanja - Girda and Donad (Budruk) |
| Buldhana | Buldhana - Palaskhed Bhat and Warwand,Jalgaon-Jamod - Wadgaon Patan and Nimkarad, Shegaon - Shirajgaon (Nile) and Padsul |
| Hingoli | Hingoli - Karwadi |
| Nanded | Nanded - Limbgaon and Pangri,Kinwat - Maregaon (Khalche), Deglur - Ramtapur |
| Parbhani | Palam - Kapsi, Sonpeth - Tiwthana,Parbhani - Takalgavhan |
| Beed | Beed - Budukwadi |
| Jalna | Jalna - Dhawedi, Mantha - Uswad and Talni |
| Aurangabad | Aurangabad - Pimpalkhunta,Paithan - Pachod (Budruk), Soegaon - Ghosla and Palaskheda |
| Ahmednagar | Akole - Brahmanwad and Dongargaon,Newasa - Khalalpimpri and Morgavhan,Ahmednagar - Kamargaon and Narayan Doho, Jamkhed - Sawargaon |
| Pune | Haveli - Kesnand, Mulshi - Nive, Junnar - Bori (Budruk) and Dhamankhel |
| Jalgaon | Jalgaon - Dhamangaon and Wadli, Jamner - Wakod and Waghari, Raver - Nirul and Mangalwadi,Chalisgaon - Hatle and Dahiwad, Chopda - Tandalwadi |
| Dhule | Dhule - Songir and Khede, Shirpur - Ambe and Boradi |
| Nandurbar | Nandurbar - Ghotane, Shahada - Prakasha |
| Nashik | Malegaon - Kalwadi and Kaulane (GA),Nashik - Palase, Surgana - Kathipadaa, Triambakeshwar - Zarwad (Khurd), Yeola - Bokte |
| Palghar | Vasai - Wagholi, Kalamb and Nirmal, Dahanu - Bordi, Jawhar - Hateri, Mokhada - Karegaon |
| Raigadr | Karjat - Salokh, Roha - Nagothane |
| Kolhapur | Chandgad - Chandgad |
The variant [-l-] marks the genitive function of the first or second person singular pronominal possessor in nine of the sampled 34 districts in the state of Maharashtra. The geographical spread of this variant and examples are given below:
| District | Taluka and Village |
|---|---|
| Amravati | Warud - Gadegaon |
| Washim | Risod - Ghonsar |
| Buldhana | Buldhan - Palaskhed Bhat and Warwand,Shegaon - Shirajgaon (Nile) |
| Hingoli | Hingoli - Karwadi, Kalamnuri - Morwad |
| Jalna | Jalna - Dhawedi |
| Aurangabad | Aurangabad - Pimpalkhunta |
| Beed | Beed - Bedukwadi, Shirur-Kasar - Takalwadi |
| Ahmednagar | Ahmednagar - Kamargaon and Narayan Doho, Newasa - Morgavhan and Khalalpimpri, Jamkhed - Jawalke |
| Pune | Junnar - Dhamankhel |
The variant [-n-] marks the genitive function of the first or second person singular pronominal possessor in six of the sampled 34 districts in the state of Maharashtra. The geographical and social spread of this variant and examples are given below:
| District | Taluka and Village |
|---|---|
| Jalgaon | Jalgaon - Dhamngaon and Wadli, Raver - Mangalwadi, Chalisgaon - Hatle and Dahiwad, Chopda - Tandalwadi |
| Dhule | Dhule - Laling, Songir, Khede and Khordad,Shirpur- Ambe, Shingave and Boradi,Sakri - Dighave and Dhadne |
| Nandurbar | Nandurbar - Ghotane and Dhanora, Navapur - Khandbara and Chinchpada,Shahada - Prakasha and Shahada |
| Nashik | Malegaon - Kalwadi and Kaulane (GA),Surgana - Kathipada, Satana - Daregaon |
| Palghar | Dahanu - Veti (Katkari community) |
| Raigad | Karjat - Salokh (Katkari), Roha - Chinchwali (Katkari), Mahad - Bheloshi (Katkari) |
