Английского

§ 4. The solution of the problem, then, is to be sought on the 
ground of a critical synthesis of the positive statements of the two 
theories: the limited case theory and the possessive postposition 
theory. 
A two case declension of nouns should be recognised in English, 
with its common case as a "direct" case, and its genitive case as the 
only oblique case. But, unlike the case system in ordinary noun-
declensional languages based on inflexional word change, the case 
system in English is founded on a particle expression. The particle 
nature of -'s is evident from the fact that it is added in post-position 
both to individual nouns and to nounal word-groups of various 
status, rendering the same essential semantics of appurtenance in 
the broad sense of the term. Thus, within the expression of the 
genitive in English, two subtypes are to be recognised: the first 
(principal) is the word genitive; the second (of a minor order) is the 
phrase genitive. Both of them are not inflexional, but particle case-
forms. 
The described particle expression of case may to a certain extent be 
likened to the particle expression of the subjunctive mood in Rus-
sian [Иртеньева, 40]. As is known, the Russian subjunctive parti-
cle бы not only can be distanced from the verb it refers to, but it 
can also relate to a lexical unit of non-verb-like nature without los-
ing its basic subjunctive-functional quality. Cf.: Если бы не он. 
Мне бы такая возможность. Как бы не так. 
From the functional point of view the English genitive case, on the 
whole, may be regarded as subsidiary to the syntactic system of 
prepositional phrases. However, it still displays some differential 
points in its functional meaning, which, though neutralised in iso-
lated use, are revealed in broader syntagmatic collocations with 
prepositional phrases. 
One of such differential points may be defined as 

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"animate appurtenance" against "inanimate appurtenance" rendered 
by a prepositional phrase in contrastive use. Cf.: 
The people's voices drowned in the roar of the started engines. The 
tiger's leap proved quicker than the click of the rifle. 
Another differential point expressed in cases of textual co-
occurrence of the units compared consists in the subjective use of 
the genitive noun (subject of action) against the objective use of 
the prepositional noun (object of action). Cf.: My Lord's choice of 
the butler; the partisans' rescue of the prisoners; the treaty's denun-
ciation of mutual threats. 
Furthermore, the genitive is used in combination with the of-phrase 
on a complementary basis expressing the functional semantics 
which may roughly be called "appurtenance rank gradation": a dif-
ference in construction (i.e. the use of the genitive against the use 
of the of-phrase) signals a difference in correlated ranks of seman-
tic domination. Cf.: the country's strain of wartime (lower rank: the 
strain of wartime; higher rank: the country's strain); the sight of 
Satispy's face (higher rank: the sight of the face; lower rank: 
Satispy's face). 
It is certainly these and other differential points and complemen-
tary uses that sustain the particle genitive as part of the systemic 
expression of nounal relations in spite of the disintegration of the 
inflexional case in the course of historical development of English.