Unit 8: More About Phrases
8.5 Genitive phrases
Direct subordination also occurs in GP's, ie. phrases such as "the boy's book" or "ladies' shoes". These are curious structures which derive from the Old English case system:
OE:
nominative stan
accusative stan
genitive stanes
dative stane
NE:
stone's
GP's can be paraphrased by PP's:
16a.
NP
(
M
GP
GP
M
(the
d
(the
d
H
boys')
N
boys')
N
H
book)
N
book)
N
16b.
NP
(
M
GP
GP
H
(John's)
N
(John's)
N
H
book)
N
book)
N
16c.
NP
M
(the
d
(the
d
H
book
N
book
N
M
PP
PP
x
(of
pr
(of
pr
M
the
d
the
d
H
boys))
N
boys))
N
If subordination was not indicated, the phrase would not clearly be possessive; (16d) could mean "a book for boys", as in "The Boys Own Annual".
16d.
NP
M
(the
d
(the
d
M
boys
N
boys
N
H
book)
N
book)
N
