3.1.4 Possessive relation

If the possessor and the possessum have a possessive relation, the s-genitive is preferred. In contrast, if the possessor and the possessum are in a non-prototypical relation, the of-genitive is preferred (Rosenbach 2013, Szmrecsanyi, Rosenbach, Bresnan and Wolk 2014).

Rosenbach (2002: 58) points out that it is notoriously difficult to classify the semantic relation which exists between the possessor and the possessum. This is because there are two ways to classify the genitive meanings: (1) a form-based, semasiological approach and (2) a meaning-based, onomasiological approach. In the meaning-based case, one should first determine the genitive meanings and then look into their constructions. However, the meaning-based procedure requires the possessor and possessum to have a definable semantic-conceptual relation. For example, “John’s book” could be defined as (1) the book belongs to John or (2) the book that John wrote. In contrast, in the form-based case, one should proceed from the genitive constructions and look into the meanings they express. Rosenbach (2002: 59) claims that the semasiological procedure is the “only feasible one”, and “it is the procedure taken by most approaches trying to classify the semantic relation between possessor and possessum on the linguistic market.”

Rosenbach (2002) defines several semantic relations that could be considered prototypical: (1) ownership, Mr. Ian Smith’s cattle ranch and farm at Selukwe<ARCHER 1979stm1.n8b> (2) body parts, the murderers leg<ARCHER 1653merc.n2b> (3) kinship, the Duke of Berwick’s Son <ARCHER 1715eve1.n3b> (4) part-whole: the Hull of a Ship<ARCHER 1735rea1.n3b>. However, here Rosenbach (2002) does not mention any ranking among those possessive relations. Seiler (1983; quoted according to Rosenbach 2002: 60) proposes a hierarchy from “inherent” (kinship, body parts) to “established” possession (social relationship, spatial orientation). Nichols (1988; quoted according to Rosenbach 2002: 60) offers a hierarchy by defining whether the possessive relation is “alienable” or not: kinships and/or body parts > part-whole and/or spatial relations > culturally basic possessed items. Another hierarchy presented by Heine (1997) suggests the following ranking: (permanent) ownership > inalienable possession (kinships, body parts) > other forms of ownership > abstract possession (feelings, psychological states etc.) > inanimate possession.

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