”The semantic field of the possessive adjective in Serbo-Croatian”
ABSTRACT
The main goal of this paper is the definition of all the possible functions of the possessive adjective in Serbo-Croatian. In achieving this goal the secondary goal of defining the primary function of this particular type of adjective, was also achieved.

This question is answered through the definitions of possessivity by Hansjakob Seiler, Bernd Heine and others, through a thorough account of the possessive adjective, by showing the contrast between the possessive adjective and other attributive expressions of possessivity in Serbo-Croatian and finally through analysis of all possessive adjectives in a corpus of app. 700.000 words.

Through analysis of the occurrences of possessive adjectives it is concluded that the kind of relationship, in which this adjective most frequently occurs, is in a relationship between a named person (POSSESSOR) and someone or something (POSSESSUM), which through its/his own inner meaning always is connected to somebody. A typical example of such a relation is: Markov otac.
However, the analyses of all the occurring possessive adjectives in the corpus show that as much as 20% (412) of the total 2106 possessive adjectives are not used for expressing possessivity.
I.e. the semantic field of the possessive adjective goes beyond the semantic field of possessivity.
Still, a significant majority, of the adjectives (90%) mark that the item or living thing that the adjective refers to, is a definite item or living being.
The feature definiteness [+DEF], which has to be present, if one is to view a possessive adjective, as a possessor, is the common denominator, which enables us to describe some of the non-possessive possessive adjectives as contributing the feature of individualization and/or definiteness as do the POSSESSOR-adjectives.
The remaining 10% do not refer to a definite or individualized item or living being. The function of these adjectives is descriptive and not relational.