|
|
 #2 (permalink) Mon Apr 14, 2008 13:57 pm Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong? |
|
|
| "The company's policy" means "the poilicy of those who run the company". |
|
Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017
|
|
|
 Nessie
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 1102
|
 |
| #4 (permalink) Mon Apr 14, 2008 14:05 pm Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong? |
|
|
Hi Nessie
The possessive 's is often used for things as well.
. |
|
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA
|
|
|
Nessie
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 1102
|
|
| #6 (permalink) Mon Apr 14, 2008 14:13 pm Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong? |
|
|
| nessie wrote: |
Hi Amy,
Is that usage British English or American English?
Thanks a lot
Nessie |
Both. |
|
Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017
|
|
|
Nessie
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 1102
|
|
|
Lost_Soul
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 15 Sep 2006
Posts: 1861
Location: South Park, Colorado, USA
|
|
| #9 (permalink) Mon Apr 14, 2008 14:26 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.
. |
|
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA
|
|
| #10 (permalink) Mon Apr 14, 2008 16:36 pm Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong? |
|
|
| Quote: |
| 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. |
Where's the adjective there? |
|
Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017
|
|
| #11 (permalink) Mon Apr 14, 2008 17:29 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
. |
|
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA
|
|
| #12 (permalink) Mon Apr 14, 2008 20:16 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
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story The way you write it |
|
Alan
Co-founder
Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 9193
Location: UK
|
|
| #13 (permalink) Mon Apr 14, 2008 22:38 pm Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong? |
|
|
| Yankee wrote: |
.
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
. |
Ah, right, used adjectivally, right? I agree. |
|
Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017
|
|
| #14 (permalink) Mon Apr 14, 2008 22:40 pm Is Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English wrong? |
|
|
| Quote: |
| You wouldn't say for example 'the table's leg' because it sounds ridiculous and you would say instead 'table leg'. |
But. Alan, you're thinking as a native, there. Many ESL students would not know it sounds ridiculous. So we're back to square one. "The table's leg" sounds no more ridiculous than "the sun's rays", to many of us.
Consider these examples from the real world:
| Quote: |
"When he did rise in the chair it was slowly and grudgingly and he followed McQuaid out into the stone hallway as if he were finding it difficult to walk or move. He held his hand on the door 's edge in the darkness of the hallway."
Amongst women. McGahern, J. London: Faber & Faber Ltd, 1990 |
| Quote: |
They switched on the car 's headlights as a beacon; but, all of a sudden, as the Prince and his companions were half-way across the water, the lights swung round and moved away as the vehicle set off down the glen.
Charles and Diana. Junor, Penny. London: Headline Book Pub. plc, 1991 |
| Quote: |
The man ordered her out of the car at Farley Mount and then bound her 23-year-old boyfriend before forcing him into the car 's boot.
Liverpool Echo & Daily Post. Liverpool: Liverpool Daily Post & Echo Ltd, 1993 |
And:
| Quote: |
The table Andy is perched over is stacked with several hundred champagne glasses, forming a glittering pyramid rising a couple of metres from the table 's surface .
Complicity. Banks, Iain. London: Little, Brown & Company, 1993 |
| Quote: |
For at the table 's head sat the most bizarre Scarabae of all. In an exactly similar perhaps resewn dress of dark green voile and net, a necklace that was a heart of green cut-glass, and jade ear pendants, her black hair flowing from tortoiseshell combs, her face smoothly powdered, lids black,
Dark dance. Lee, Tanith. London: Warner Books, 1993 |
Source: http://corpus.byu.edu/bnc/x.asp |
|
Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017
|
|
|
Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017
|
|
|
| In or Into? | Negatives in infinitive. |
... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. 
As far as I know, this usage of s' for inanimate things is dated back to the time out of mind