double possessive

double possessive
a) Two or more consecutive nouns in the possessive case, as with "St. Pauls Cathedrals vergers"; discouraged on grounds of style.
b) Combination of the periphrastic possessive, "of x" with the possessive inflection of a noun. For example, "A friend of Johns".

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  • double possessive — This is a construction such as a friend of my father s and an admirer of hers, in which the possessive state is indicated by of and the possessive form of the noun father or pronoun hers. It is well established in English alongside the simpler… …   Modern English usage

  • double possessive — noun : a syntactic construction in English consisting of the preposition of followed by a noun in the possessive case (as of Bill s in a friend of Bill s) or by a possessive pronoun (as of mine in this brain of mine) and having the same meaning… …   Useful english dictionary

  • double possessive — Gram. a possessive construction consisting of a prepositional phrase with of containing a substantive in the possessive case, as of father s in He is a friend of father s. Also called double genitive. * * * …   Universalium

  • double possessive — dou′ble posses′sive n. gram. a possessive construction consisting of a prepositional phrase with of containing a substantive in the possessive case, as of father s in She is a friend of father s Also called double genitive …   From formal English to slang

  • double possessive — noun see double genitive …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • possessive — [pə zes′iv] adj. [L possessivus] 1. of possession, or ownership 2. a) showing, or characterized by a desire for, possession [a possessive child] b) having or showing a desire to dominate, control, influence, etc. [a possessive mother] 3 …   English World dictionary

  • double genitive — noun Date: 1824 a syntactic construction in English in which possession is marked both by the preposition of and a noun or pronoun in the possessive case (as in “A friend of Bob s is a friend of mine”) called also double possessive …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • double genitive. — See double possessive. * * * …   Universalium

  • double genitive — dou′ble gen′itive n. gram. double possessive …   From formal English to slang

  • double genitive — noun : double possessive …   Useful english dictionary

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