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Srdjan Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

the usage of genitive case (what a hell has "s" gone ?)

The question is related to the genitive case usage in Eng. language.

I have found some examples where the genitive "s" has been dropped as:

1. Part of the reason was a lack of liberal positions on the Kennedy platform.
2. Do you feel the Bush Administration has done enough in response to Hurricane Katrina?

Why without "s" after Bush or Kennedy ?

Srdjan
  

Top answer

Kennedy and Bush are here used as defining adjectives . Other examples: a calculus book a cancer specialist an asphalt driveway There are four ways in which nouns indicate possession: 's s' of ... two consecutive nouns (defining adjectives)

— Rvw

  • Kennedy and Bush are here used as defining adjectives .
  • Other examples: a calculus book a cancer specialist an asphalt driveway There are four ways in which nouns indicate possession: 's s' of ...
  • two consecutive nouns (defining adjectives)
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3 Answers
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Kennedy and Bush are here used as defining adjectives. Other examples:

a calculus book
a cancer specialist
an asphalt driveway

There are four ways in which nouns indicate possession:

's
s'
of ...
two consecutive nouns (defining adjectives)
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ok this is fine, but how to make a difference between:

Bush administration was ... and
Kennedy's interest was ...

Is there any strict rule to or should guess a bit ?
thanx
Srdjan
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Some of it is guesswork or familiarity with the different usages. But I think the rule would be: try to determine if the first noun defines the second one (a brick house), or if it merely indicates possession (the Smiths' house). In some cases either will work: George Bush's administration, or the Bush administration. But the meanings are slightly different.
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