Genitive case

Question

HelloI have a question:why don`t we use genitive case in thse examples:wall of the garden/garden wall    why not garden`s wall?the legs of the chairthe floor of the kitchen/kitchen floorthe shed of the roofAnd another question:which is correct and why?Mother came from the dentist. Mother came from the dentist`s.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Hi;

A noun can be used as an adjective to describe another noun. It is very common:

I've been hitting my head against a brick wall.
I ate a ham sandwich.
The church has a bell tower.

The battery posts were corroded.

AnonymousAnd another question:which is correct and why?
Mother came from the dentist.
Mother came from the dentist`s.

They are both OK. In the second, the noun is understood.

Mother came from the dentist's (office).
We stopped by the dry cleaner's (shop) to pick up Dad's shirt.

We had dinner at the Smith's (house).

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you for your answers,but I still don`t understand why in these examples we use the genitive : city`s parking lots, children`s birthdays, for the order`s sake and in this case: garden wall, kitchen floor,sea waves we don`t use the `s genitive.How do I know when to use the `s genitive and when not?

And I have another question:is there a difference in meaning between moonlight and moon`s light?

Thank you!

Anonymous · Answer

Boy, this is a tough one. I've thought about this a lot, and still haven't come up with a good answer.

The general rule is:
We use the construction X's Y when X is a person or a group of people.

my mother's cat
my family's vacation home

We use the construction the Y of X when X is a thing.

the roof of the shed
the leg of the chair

However, there are plenty of phrases that don't follow this rule, yet sound perfectly okay.

The Razor's Edge
Wednesday's child

Can anybody throw any light on this?

As for the last two sentences, they are used interchangeably.

The Linguist

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousAnd I have another question:is there a difference in meaning between moonlight and moon`s light?

Moonlight is a compound word and it means the light of the moon. (moon's light) The moon actually does not radiate light itself; moonlight is the reflection of sunlight off of the lunar surface. We never say moon light (two words.)

There is no fixed rule for choosing between a noun adjunct (noun as an adjective) and genitive case.
If it is a proper name, the relationship is ownership. Always use the genitive: John's car (never John car; almost never: car of John.)

Materials are often used as noun adjuncts; they do not have a genitive form:

stone wall (wall of stone, never stone's wall)

brick wall
straw hut
silver cup

If something is on, in, around or along something else, that is a hint for using a noun adjunct. It is not an ownership relation, but a physical relationship:

garden wall (the wall around the garden)
kitchen floor (floor in the kitchen)

computer screen (screen on the computer)
computer mouse (mouse used with a computer)
kitchen stove (stove in a kitchen)

Note the difference:
the city streets (streets that are within some city):
He likes to photograph city streets at night.

the city's streets (streets that are within a particular city)
The city's streets need to be repaired.

He likes to jog along country lanes.

If I think of something else, I'll post again.
A-

s

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you very much!

Anonymous · Answer

Can someone explain this:
1 The accident has a cause.(the cause of the accident)
2The journey has an outcome.(the journey`s outcome),(the outcomes of the journey)
Why in the first sentence we cannot use the genitive (`s) but we can use it in the second sentence?
What is the difference?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

AnonymousThe accident has a cause.(the cause of the accident)
2The journey has an outcome.(the journey`s outcome),(the outcomes of the journey)
Why in the first sentence we cannot use the genitive (`s) but we can use it in the second sentence?
What is the difference?

The relationship between cause and accident is not one of ownership.
The cause is not a part of an accident. (The accident does not own it's cause!)

The preposition "of" is used for other kinds of relationships besides ownership. Genative is used exclusively for an ownership of relation of belonging to. They are not interchangable!

He is a man of few words.

We ate a gallon of ice cream.

We decorated the door with a wreath of holly.

He did an incredible act of heroism.

Young men have the responsibility of three years of military service.
Four of five people in the world are poor.
I like a lot of different foods.

He alway wanted a piece of the action.

Genitive case

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