The analysis of constructions denoting possession (particularly, but not exclusively, in English) has long presented a challenge to morpho-syntactic theory and has been a topic of debate for some time. This book includes papers that offer insights into the morphosyntactic nature of possessive markers under a variety of theoretical frameworks.

1. Introduction (by Borjars, Kersti); 2. Dealing with postmodified possessors in early English: Split and group genitives (by Allen, Cynthia L.); 3. Variation in the form and function of the possessive morpheme in Late Middle and Early Modern English (by Juvonen, Teo); 4. The great regression: Genitive variability in Late Modern English news texts (by Szmrecsanyi, Benedikt); 5. Nominal categories and the expression of possession: A cross-linguistic study of probabilistic tendencies and categorical constraints (by O'Connor, Catherine); 6. Expression of possession in English: The significance of the right edge (by Borjars, Kersti); 7. A cognitive analysis of John's hat (by Hudson, Richard A.); 8. The oblique genitive in English (by Payne, John); 9. The marker of the English "Group Genitive" is a special clitic, not an inflection (by Anderson, Stephen R.); 10. Two prenominal possessors in West Flemish (by Haegeman, Liliane); 11. A Mozart sonata and the Palme murder: The structure and uses of proper-name compounds in Swedish (by Koptjevskaja-Tamm, Maria); 12. Possessive clitics and ezafe in Urdu (by Bogel, Tina); 13. References; 14. Index

The volume is essential reading for any linguist interested in the morphosyntactic realization of possession. While the overall focus is clearly on English, this is not necessarily a negative: it enables the volume to approach the various issues in English from several distinct angles, while maintaining a manageable set of data. Empirical-statistical, cognitive and theoretical-explanatory accounts add up to render a rather complete picture of the English possessive constructions from a synchronic as well as from a diachronic perspective. In addition, descriptive papers team up to provide insights into other languages' possessive structures as well.