A Descriptive Analysis of Morpho-Semantic Features of Pothwari

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This study explores the diversity of morpho-semantic features of genitive case markers in Pothwari, a regional language spoken in the north-central areas of Pakistan. The research highlights how possession is encoded in Pothwari and compares its structural patterns with those found in English, Urdu, and Punjabi. The primary data consists of oral literature, including anecdotes, folk tales, and poetic expressions that have been preserved through generations by local storytellers and folk singers. Since Pothwari has a predominantly oral tradition with limited written documentation, these sources provide valuable linguistic evidence for examining natural language use. The analysis focuses on the morpho-segmental behavior of possessive constructions, examining their form, function, and semantic relationships. Drawing on the theoretical foundations of Chomskyan linguistics, particularly structural and generative principles, the study identifies how genitive markers in Pothwari interact with noun phrases, reflect cultural patterns of ownership, and differ from genitive constructions in neighboring languages. The findings reveal that Pothwari genitive markers exhibit a rich range of morphological variations influenced by phonological environment, syntactic positioning, and semantic intent. This research contributes to the descriptive and comparative understanding of Pothwari and adds to broader discussions in South Asian linguistics by documenting a less-explored language and its unique possessive system. The study also emphasizes the importance of preserving oral linguistic traditions as essential resources for analyzing regional languages.