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Reflexive pronoun - Definition and Overview |
| Related Words: Antiphonal, Automatic, Blind, Conditioned, Forced, Gut, Instinctive, Mechanical, Middle, Passive, Reactionary, Reactive, Reflex |
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In some languages, there is a difference between
reflexive and non-reflexive pronouns. A reflexive pronoun is an anaphor which must be bound by its antecedent (according to Government and Binding Theory in linguistics); note, however, that the exact conditions that determine whether something is bound are not yet well defined and are contingent on the language in question. In plain terms, a reflexive pronoun is a pronoun that is preceded by what it refers to (its antecedent) within the same clause.
In Indo-European languages, the reflexive pronoun goes back to the Proto-Indo-European language.
Swedish examples.
- "Jag ser honom". (I see him.)
- "Han ser honom" (He sees him, i.e. someone other)
- "Han ser sig" ("He sees himself")
In Swedish, there is also a difference between normal and reflexive genitives:
- Anna gav Maria hennes bok. - Anna gave her (Maria's) book to Maria.
- Anna gav Maria sin bok. - Anna gave her (Ana's) book to Maria.
Example from Serbian language:
- Ana je dala Mariji njenu knjigu. - Ana gave her (Maria's) book to Maria.
- Ana je dala Mariji svoju knjigu. - Ana gave her (Ana's) book to Maria.
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