Help about possessive and inanimate objects (or are they?)

[Asking4Help]

Hello everyone,

I am little confused about the possessive and inanimate objects.
I understand that celestial bodies (the Earth, the Moon and so on) are not considered inanimate objects. Hence, the MCU's quote: Earth's mightiest heroes.

That part is clear. But what about what looks at first as inanimate objects but also can be understood as a group of living people? I am thinking about:

• the World
• Countries: Japan, France... (and by extension, cities, states, continents...)
• Companies and brands: Tesla, Amazon...

In a nutshell, I am wondering whether we can consider all those things as a group of living people and as a consequence, use the possessive. If so, are there more cases? Are there exceptions?

You also may have noticed I had written MCU's and that was on purpose
I must admit that I struggle finding a definitive rule on the Internet. I am looking forward to reading your thoughts on this topic.

Regards.

 

[emsr2d2]

What's MCU?

 

[Skrej]

That's because there isn't a definitive rule. Grammar purists insist that the possessive not be used with inanimate objects. Others have no inhibitions against using it.

It's not so much a rule, as a stylistic preference. More people might agree to avoid it in formal or academic writing, but use it widely in day-to-day English - more so in some regions and variants than other.

For example, I have no issue with saying something like "I hit my shin on the table's corner." Some would shed tears of incredulity at such an utterance, while others would merely laugh at my misfortune.

There's a deeper history to the use of the apostrophe and possession, relating to Anglo-Saxon genitives versus Latin via Norman French influences, but that's just a rationale for whichever side of the inanimate possessive coin one's opinion lies on. From what I've read, it can be used to defend or refute either viewpoint.

 

[SoothingDave]

I concur. People talk about their car's engine or a dress's color without any confusion or sense that this is an error.

 

[SoothingDave]

What's MCU?

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Comic book movies.

 

[probus]

I find the proposition that celestial bodies are not inanimate objects dubious to say the least. I continue to consider them inanimate objects, the expression "mother earth" notwithstanding.

 

[Asking4Help]

Thanks for your answers.

I found several articles about celestial bodies and possessive. Here's an example: https://writingcenter.uagc.edu/possessives

 

[probus]

That and five dollars will get you a coffee at Starbuck's.

 

[Tarheel]

@Asking4Help Two things. One, it should be possessives. Two, I'm going to continue doing what I've been doing. And that's not consult any website for grammar advice.