The synchronic distribution and diachronic trajectory of Homeric ‐phi(n) have been the source of long‐standing debate, with the result that scholarly opinion has yet to settle on a consensus regarding the morphosyntax of forms realized by this marker. Some maintain that forms in ‐phi(n) are adverbs, while others contend that they are nominals (i.e., nouns or adjectives). Evidence from agreement and prepositional phrases shows that the latter analysis is correct. Homeric ‐phi(n) is therefore a case exponent. More specifically, it is an oblique case marker that realizes genitive or dative case in the singular, dual, or plural across all three grammatical genders. Since other case markers exist in the language for realizing genitive and dative case, forms in ‐phi(n) are an example of morphological overabundance, the realization of a paradigm cell by more than one word form. This synchronic analysis has diachronic consequences, in as much as it now becomes clearer that ‐phi(n) continues the instrumental plural case marker */‐b^ɦis/ and not the adverbial suffix */‐b^ɦi/.

中文翻译：

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Homeric phi（n）是一个倾斜的大小写标记1

Homeric phi（n）的共时分布和历时轨迹一直是长期争论的源头，其结果是，学术界尚未就该标记实现的形式的形态句法达成共识。有些人认为phi（n）中的形式是副词，而另一些人则认为它们是名词（即名词或形容词）。一致和介词短语的证据表明，后者的分析是正确的。因此，Homeric phi（n）是大小写指数。更具体地说，它是一种倾斜的大小写标记，可在所有三种语法性别中以单数，对偶或复数形式实现和格或和格。由于在实现和格和宾格的语言中还存在其他案例标记，因此形式为-phi（n）是形态过量的一个例子，它是一个以上单词形式的范例单元的实现。这种共时性分析具有历时后果，因为现在越来越清楚地知道phi（n）继续使用工具复数形式标记* / ^-bɦis /而不是副词后缀* / ^-bɦi /。