Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?

nessie · Mon Apr 14, 2008 14:26 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Hi,
I've come across this sentence (as an example for the word "backfire") in the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English:
The company's new policy backfired when a number of employees threatened to quit.
=> I far as I am concerned, we just use "'s" for human and animals, and never for things, so is the dictionary wrong?

Many thanks
Nessie
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Molly · Mon Apr 14, 2008 14:57 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

"The company's policy" means "the poilicy of those who run the company".

nessie · Mon Apr 14, 2008 15:04 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

but anyway, the company still sounds like a "thing",right? Smile

Yankee · Mon Apr 14, 2008 15:05 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Hi Nessie

The possessive 's is often used for things as well.
.
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nessie · Mon Apr 14, 2008 15:09 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Hi Amy,
Is that usage British English or American English?
Thanks a lot
Nessie

Molly · Mon Apr 14, 2008 15:13 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

nessie · Mon Apr 14, 2008 15:17 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Then what I have heard from my teacher about that "'s" used for human and animals only must be ancient English...

lost_soul · Mon Apr 14, 2008 15:20 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Yankee · Mon Apr 14, 2008 15:26 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Hi Nessie

I'd put it this way:

It is "safest" to use the possessive 's with people and animals. Using it with things is often possible, but it doesn't always work well. In addition, we often use the thing as an adjective rather than using the possessive form. For example, instead of saying the tree's trunk, we'd probably just say the tree trunk instead.
.
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Molly · Mon Apr 14, 2008 17:36 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Yankee · Mon Apr 14, 2008 18:29 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

.
Note the use of the word 'as' ("as an adjective"), Molly. In other words, it is used 'like' an adjective.
All of the following refer to some sort of trunk(s):

- antique trunk
- long trunk
- wide trunk
- swimming trunks
- tree trunk
.
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.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

Alan · Mon Apr 14, 2008 21:16 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Hi Nessie,

Don't worry too much about the apostrophe question indicating possession. I think you have to think it through and decide whether putting the apostrophe would make sense or not. You wouldn't say for example 'the table's leg' because it sounds ridiculous and you would say instead 'table leg'. With 'company' of course you are talking about a company of people and in that case it is acceptable.

Alan
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Molly · Mon Apr 14, 2008 23:38 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Molly · Mon Apr 14, 2008 23:40 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Molly · Mon Apr 14, 2008 23:44 pm *Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong?*

Try searching the * 's * here:

http://corpus.byu.edu/bnc/x.asp

Interesting results.

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