Avér o gavér?

This contribution is an investigation of the distribution and nature of a structure found across Northern Italian varieties, a reflex of Latin habere to which a locative particle g has been added, within the contexts of the relation between microvariation and gradual language change. A detailed morpho-syntactic description forms the basis for an analysis that suggests a probable path of univerbation of the two elements. Driving the analysis is the consideration of the original semantic features of the Latin element from which the locative particle has developed, in particular of the order of their weakening.