Classroom:NTNU, LING 1113 (2009) - Norwegian Prepositions
Prepositions
locational prepositions
Locational prepositions places an entity in space relative to something else.
'Bak' indicates that the figure has a relationship of posteriority to the ground.
'Blant' indicates that the figure has a relationship of laterality to more than two grounds, which do not coincide
The figure has a close proximity to the ground, which is often animate. The two entities never coincide and the figure is never contained in the ground. i
'i' indicates that the figure has a relationship of interiority to the ground.
The figure has a relationship of interiority to the ground, which is an enclosed space. 'Innenfor' does not have any other locational meanings.
The figure is coinciding with the ground, and has a relationship of laterality to it
The figure has a relationship of laterality to two grounds, who do not have a relationship of laterality to each other
The figure has a relationship of exteriority to the ground.
ovenfor The preposition ovenfor is used to indicate that the relation between the figure and the ground is one of superiority, but not of coincidence.
In simpler terms: Object1 is ovenfor another object if it is located over that object - that is higher than it and in the space above it - but not if Object1 is touching the other object.
The figure and ground are anterior to each other
'På' has a basic meaning which means that the figure is superior to, as well as coinciding with, the ground. However, many other uses of the preposition 'på' are in use in Norwegian today.
The figure has a relationship of exteriority to the ground.
'Under' indicates that the figure has a relationship of inferiority to the ground.
Directional preposition
Directional prepositions combine with verbs and encode direction and additional information to complement the events taking place
Fra encodes the source of a movement, or origin of an entity.
'Mot' indicates that the figure has a relationship of coincidence to the ground.
This expression encodes a path from one end of the ground to another.
Encodes the ground as being the goal of a path.
Encodes the goal of a path that is being accomplished.