Understanding the Saxon Genitive: English for Israeli Professionals

The Saxons of Britain are believed to be descended from the ten lost tribes of Israel deported by Sargon of Assyria ... Mike Harding

As an Israeli professional looking to improve your English skills, one of the concepts that might initially seem confusing is the use of the Saxon genitive. While it may feel unfamiliar at first, mastering this structure will make your English sound more natural and fluent.

In this blog post, I’ll break down what the Saxon genitive is, how it’s used, and why it’s essential for expressing possession in English. I’ll also give you practical examples so that you can start using it confidently in your own communication.

The Saxon genitive is called that because it originates from the possessive constructions used by the Saxon tribes in Old English. As their language developed, this form stuck and became a standard part of English grammar, even after the language evolved from Old English into the language we speak today.

What Is the Saxon Genitive?

The Saxon genitive is a grammatical structure used to show possession or ownership. In simple terms, it’s how we say that something belongs to someone or something else.

In English, possession is often indicated by adding an apostrophe + s to a noun, especially when the possessor is a person or an animate object (like a pet). This is different from languages like Hebrew, where possession is often shown using the word של.

For example:

• John’s car (the car belonging to John)

• Sara’s book (the book belonging to Sara)

• The company’s profits (the profits belonging to the company)

As you see, English adds 's to the noun to indicate possession.

How and When Do We Use the Saxon Genitive?

The Saxon genitive is used in a few specific situations.

Possession by People or Animals - This is the most common use. When talking about something that belongs to a person or an animal, we add 's to the name.

• David’s laptop (David owns the laptop)

• The dog’s collar (The collar belongs to the dog)

  
  

Possession of Singular Objects or Groups - You can also use the Saxon genitive for things or groups that are considered singular, even if they represent a collection of people or things.

• The company’s new policy (The policy of the company)

• The team’s performance (The performance of the team)

  
  

Time Expressions - We often use the Saxon genitive in certain time expressions, especially when referring to days, months, or specific time periods.

• A week’s vacation (A vacation lasting one week)

• A day’s work (Work that can be done in one day)

Why Is the Saxon Genitive Important?

For Israeli professionals, understanding the Saxon genitive is key for two reasons.

1. Fluency in Communication English often uses the Saxon genitive to express possession in more informal and conversational ways. For instance, in a business context, you might refer to a colleague's report or a client's needs. Using the possessive 's helps you sound more natural and fluent, avoiding overly formal or awkward constructions.

2. Clarity and Precision The Saxon genitive is a concise and effective way to clarify relationships between people and things. Without it, English speakers would have to use longer phrases such as the report of my colleague instead of my colleague's report.

Examples of the Saxon Genitive in Context

Let’s take a look at three examples of the Saxon genitive in professional contexts.

• Business Reports - The CEO’s presentation impressed the investors. In this example, we’re showing that the presentation belongs to the CEO. The use of 's makes the sentence flow smoothly and keeps it concise.

• Team Effort - The project manager’s advice was crucial in completing the task on time. Here, the advice belongs to the project manager, and the 's makes the sentence sound more natural.

• Contracts and Agreements—The lawyer’s recommendation was taken seriously by the client. This sentence shows that the recommendation belongs to the lawyer, emphasizing possession.

Some Key Notes for Israeli Learners

Don't use the Saxon genitive when talking about inanimate objects that aren't personal possessions. For example, it's OK to say the color of the car but it's not OK to say the car’s color. However, in some cases, like the company’s logo, the Saxon genitive is still appropriate because it’s referring to a corporate entity. For plural possessors, the rule is slightly different. If the noun is plural and ends in s, you only add the apostrophe, without an additional s. The teachers’ lounge (The lounge for all the teachers) Not everything in English takes the Saxon genitive. We don’t say the job’s difficulty we say the difficulty of the job.

In summary, the Saxon genitive is an essential feature of English that allows you to express possession in a concise and natural way. As an Israeli professional, getting comfortable with this structure will enhance your ability to communicate more fluently in English, especially in business contexts.

Whether you’re writing emails, having meetings, or presenting at conferences, the Saxon genitive will help you sound more professional and polished.

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