Why water level and not water's level?

Question

It may sound naive, but I am trying to figure out this issue for so long. Apostrophe is omitted because water is an inanimate object? Or because level is a property and cannot be owed? Why?

Please help.

Darkmax · Accepted Answer

Good one. I think the two words of "water level" make a term, therefore the lack of apostrophe. However, one can always point to a beaker of water or a swimming pool and say "the water's level in the pool or beaker is...."

- The water level of the pool is quite low today.
- The water's level in the pool is quite low today.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks for the answer.

Not fully understood because I still cannot generalize to other two words terms. I guess I have to read a more. If I only knew the name of this kind of rules.

Best Regards,

Avangi · Answer

AnonymousI still cannot generalize to other two words terms.

I had a thread the other day in which the poster wanted to put everything in the possessive, but using "The X of the Y." (The key of the house. The house's key) In this case, we'd say, "the house key." I guess this is similar to "water level."
The problem is that you can't always generalize. You often must take it on a case-by-case basis.
I know that's not very efficient. Mayby someone has a list.

The tire pressure; the gas price.
You can say "the pressure of the tire(s)" and "the price of gas," but not "the gas's price" or "the tire's pressure" - unless it's in some special context.

edit. I'm trying to think of a few:

The cake frosting
The bottle cap
The bicycle seat
The road map
The dinner plates

Sometimes they seem like adjectives. But it is possible to say "the cap of the bottle," or "The bottle's cap."

The water faucetdoesn't work. (The water's faucet.) Hmm, maybe it's one word.

Anonymous · Answer

I am tempted to believe that those cases do not have possessive because the subjects are inanimate objects.

I guess that my best option for now is to check each confusing term in google and see what the majority does.

Thanks for the answers guys.

Why water level and not water's level?

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