Alienable and Inalienable Possession

Two types of possession can be distinguished, alienable and inalienable possession. The first type of possession can change, but the second is obligatory. Inalienable possession is exemplified in kinship, body parts and attributes.

The following phrases illustrate inalienable possession:

my father
my sister
my eye
my leg
my name

Compare with these phrases which illustrate alienable possession:

my book
my pen
my bank
my friend
my school

In the phrases of inalienable possession, the nouns cannot exist independently from the possessor. However, in the phrases of alienable possession, the possession is optional because they can be separated from the possessor. If the possessor sold his or her book, it would no longer belong to the individual. In the case of the noun friend, if the friendship ended, the individuals would cease to be friends.

One distinction made in possession is between alienable and inalienable. Inalienable possession ca be seen in areas such as parts of the body, kinship and attributes. Of the two types of possesssion, alienable is more common.