Description:

The term 'merit' comes from the English word 'merit', and has come to mean specifically 'to legally own' in Common. It's primary sense is verbal, although it can be used as a noun. Because of the drift in meaning, it is a false friend with the English word 'merit'.

Verb:

• Paradigm: noxaj (semitransitive)
• Auxiliary: nox

As a verb, merit takes an owner in the absolutive case, and a thing owned in the dative case. It is can be used as a clarifying verb in the dative idiom possessive construction (see attached).

Noun:

As a noun, 'merit' refers to property, or to ownership in general.

Modifier:

The modifier form 'meritys' can be used to clarify the type of possession when a verb like 'sif' that is neutral about ownership is used to talk about possession:

Je te meritys sif a zom.

is the same as

We nox merit ija zom.

Both mean 'I own the car', but the first means more like 'I have the car (ownerly)'.