The Post-possessive case

In English, you can find sentences in which possessiveness is formed simultaneously with the help of the preposition "of" and the possessive case with the clitic -'s, such a construction is called the post-possessive case, at times also – the double possessive.

The post-possessive case is formed by analogy with the use of personal pronouns in the possessive case in the absolute form:

1. No daughter of mine will stir out-of-doors after sundown.
2. No daughter of Henry’s will stir out-of-doors after sundown.

As you can see, the post-possessive case is used when possession cannot be expressed using a simple possessive case, since the defined noun requires an additional determiner:

In some cases, the use of the post-possessive case allows you to clarify the meaning of the expression:

• It is my picture. – This is my picture (which belongs to me). / This is my picture (which depicts me).:
  • It is a picture of mine. – This is a picture that belongs to me.
  • It is a picture of me. – This is a picture that shows me.

• It is Nelly’s picture. – This is Nelly’s picture (which belongs to Nelly). / This is Nelly’s picture (which depicts Nelly).:
  • It is a picture of Nelly’s. – This is a picture that belongs to Nelly.
  • It is a picture of Nelly. – This is a picture that shows Nelly.

When expressing ownership, in informal English, after the preposition "of", the noun can be used in a non-possessive case:

• No daughter of Henry stirs out-of-doors after sundown.

But fighters for the purity and harmony of the language believe that if a noun indicates a relation of ownership, then in such cases, it should always be used in the possessive case, that is, the only acceptable option is:

• No daughter of Henry’s stirs out-of-doors after sundown.

Examples of the comparative use of the simple possessive case and the post-possessive case:

• Simple possessive:
  • She is Nelly's guest. – Она гость Нелли.
  • They are Nelly's guests. – Они гости Нелли.
• Post-possessive:
  1. the defined noun additionally requires a numeral:
     • The two guests of Nelly's are still in.
     • Two guests of Nelly's are still in.
  2. the noun being defined additionally requires pronoun:
     • Which guest of Nelly's stayed longest?
     • That guest of Nelly's is too arrogant.
     • A few guests of Nelly's are still in.
  3. followed by a restrictive clause:
     • That was the guest of Nelly's that I disliked most.
  4. the noun being defined is preceded by an indefinite article or the noun being defined is used in the plural form, with the emphasis being placed on singling out the object(s) from a multitude of similar:
     • He is a guest of Nelly's. (He is one of Nelly's guests.)
     • They are also guests of Nelly's. (They are ones of Nelly's guests.)