Encyclopedia of Ancient Greek Language and Linguistics

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Postpositives
(1,080 words)

Abstract

The term ‘postpositive’ is used to refer to words that occupy the second position of their linguistic unit. In this sense they differ both from prepositives (another class of fixed-order words) and mobile words (free-order words). Postpositives partially overlap with enclitics, but the latter are normally understood as unstressed postpositives (see Clitics), although this distinction is sometimes ignored.

Unlike mobile words, postpositives exhibit some word order restrictions ( Wackernagel’s Law): (i) they occur in the s…

Cite this page
Antonio Revuelta, “Postpositives”, in: Encyclopedia of Ancient Greek Language and Linguistics, General Editor: Georgios K. Giannakis. Consulted online on 26 March 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2214-448X_eagll_SIM_00000516>
First published online: 2013



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