Possessive - Semantics

Semantics

The relationship expressed by possessive determiners and similar forms is not necessarily one of possession in the strict sense of ownership. The "possessor" may be, for example:

• the person or thing to which the "possessed" stands in the designated relationship (my mother, his wife, your subordinates, our boss);
• the person or thing of which the "possessed" is a part (my leg, the building's walls);
• a person or thing affiliated with or identifying with the "possessed" (his country, our class, my people);
• the performer, or sometimes the undergoer, of an action (his arrival, the government's overthrow)
• the creator, supervisor, user, etc. of the "possessed" (Prince's album, the Irish jockey's horse).

For more examples, see Possession (linguistics) and English possessive: Semantics.