[Grammar] the door car

[atabitaraf]

What is the difference between:
1. The car door.
2. The door of the car.
Can we use either of them with the same meaning and application?
Thanks,

 

[NorwichEnglish]

Both can be used, but usually people would just say the car door, because it is shorter.
-Martin

 

[SoothingDave]

There is no difference in meaning.

In most cases, people will use "car door," as it is shorter.

If you need to emphasize that it was the door (and not some other part), then the longer form would be used.

 

[BrunaBC]

It just occurred to me, could the possessive ( 's ) be used too?
the car's door

Car door -> car is giving a carachteristic to the door, could I interprete it as an adjective in this case?

The door of the car = the car's door. Is it?

Thanks

 

[atabitaraf]

It just occurred to me, could the possessive ( 's ) be used too?
the car's door

Car door -> car is giving a carachteristic to the door, could I interprete it as an adjective in this case?

The door of the car = the car's door. Is it?

Thanks

Not a native
No, not as an adjective.
I have read 's can only be used for people, animals, time expressions, stars and planets, countries and cities, and companies.
But I think if your text is centrally about a car you can use 's for showing its property as a literal device (like people)

 

[SoothingDave]

It just occurred to me, could the possessive ( 's ) be used too?
the car's door

Car door -> car is giving a carachteristic to the door, could I interprete it as an adjective in this case?

The door of the car = the car's door. Is it?

Thanks

It could be "the car's door," but that's unlikely. We tend to just use the noun form as an adjective in common phrases.

 

[BrunaBC]

Not a native
No, not as an adjective.
I have read 's can only be used for people, animals, time expressions, stars and planets, countries and cities, and companies.
But I think if your text is centrally about car you can use 's for showing its property as a literal device (like people)

According to SoothingDave, car (noun) is working as an adjective here.;-)

 

[atabitaraf]

According to SoothingDave, car (noun) is working as an adjective here.;-)

In 'Physics class' physics could be considered like an adjective or you could say it for desk in 'desk lamp' but not for car in 'The car's door'.
What kind of class? Physics class
What kind of lamp? desk lamp

If It is not correct please help!

 

[SoothingDave]

In 'Physics class' physics could be considered like an adjective or you could say it for desk in 'desk lamp' but not for car here.
What kind of class? Physics class
What kind of lamp? desk lamp

If It is not correct please help!

Why not for car? What kind of door is it? A car door.

 

[TheParser]

could the possessive ( 's ) be used too?
the car's door

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Hello, Bruna:

1. Atabitaraf's excellent answer sent me to my favorite place: the "books" section of Google. Just as Atabitaraf said,

native speakers have no trouble using "car's door" if you are emphasizing a particular car. Here are some quotations:


"When an officer catches up with the thief, he or she can remotely kill the stolen car's engine and lock the car's door." -- Criminal Investigation (2006) by Bennett, Hess, and Orthmann.

"The car's doors hissed open." -- Fear the Night (2005) by John Lutz.

"Achingly, he closed the car's door and locked it." -- Christmas in My Heart (1988) by Joe L. Wheeler.

"Part of me wanted to go kick in the car's door, but there was no time." -- Thorn Queen (2009) by Richelle Mead.

 

[BrunaBC]

Thank you TheParser! I see what you guys mean, and your reply added up to SoothingDave's has led me to assume that both constructions (possessive + noun / adj + noun) are ok.
In your sentence "Anchingly, he closed the car's door and locked it" I could replace the car's door for the car door with no significant change in meaning. Right?;-)

 

[TheParser]

"Anchingly, he closed the car's door and locked it" I could replace the car's door for the car door with no significant change in meaning. Right?;-)

I do not have the confidence to answer your question. I shall leave the answer to a more intelligent person than I.

P.S. When I said that the "books" section of Google was my favorite place, I -- of course -- meant it was my second

favorite place -- after UsingEnglish.com.:lol:

 

[SoothingDave]

Thank you TheParser! I see what you guys mean, and your reply added up to SoothingDave's has led me to assume that both constructions (possessive + noun / adj + noun) are ok.
In your sentence "Anchingly, he closed the car's door and locked it" I could replace the car's door for the car door with no significant change in meaning. Right?;-)

Right. As long as it's still part of a car. A factory would make car doors that are not yet any car's doors.

 

[atabitaraf]

Why not for car? What kind of door is it? A car door.

'a car door' and 'the car door'
I think the function of 'car' depends on the article. For answering the question 'What kind of door' if you answer, "a car door," the door is not still in a chassis so 'car' functions as an adjective. I cannot imagine 'car' in 'the car door' could function as an adjective.
Thanks,

 

[5jj]

I think the function of 'car' depends on the article. For answering the question 'What kind of door' if you answer, "a car door," the door is not still in a chassis so 'car' functions as an adjective. I cannot imagine 'car' in 'the car door' could function as an adjective.

Whether you consider 'car' to be functioning as a noun or adjective, it has the same function in these two sentences:

Somebody dumped a car door and a stethoscope in my garden. The car door looked new, but the stethoscope was clearly very old.

 

[SoothingDave]

'a car door' and 'the car door'
I think the function of 'car' depends on the article. For answering the question 'What kind of door' if you answer, "a car door," the door is not still in a chassis so 'car' functions as an adjective. I cannot imagine 'car' in 'the car door' could function as an adjective.
Thanks,

A car door can very well still be attached to a car.

 

[atabitaraf]

A car door can very well still be attached to a car.

Of course, but in your sentence you mention it separately without considering the car.
A. Hey B what is this damaged door on your car? Why didn't you replace it?
B. Oh A! It's a car door. A car door is a car door man.:-|

 

[emsr2d2]

Of course, but in your sentence you mention it separately without considering the car.
A. Hey B what is this damaged door on your car? Why didn't you replace it?
B. Oh A! It's a car door. A car door is a car door man.:-|

I don't see any difference whether it's attached to a car or not.

- I got up this morning and discovered someone had thrown a car door into my garden!
- I went to drive to work this morning and discovered my car door wouldn't unlock.
- I'm going to the garage later to have my car door fixed.
- Have you seen the latest "installation" at the art gallery? It's a car door attached to a tent and hanging from the ceiling. How can that be considered art?!

 

[5jj]

18 posts so far (well, this is #19). I wonder how long some of you can keep this up. Is there a real problem left?

 

[BobK]

...
But I think if your text is centrally about a car you can use 's for showing its property as a literal device (like people)

:up: For example, As I was cycling past, the car's door opened... - that's possible. Equally possible would be As I was cycling past the car, its door opened...; and there are several other possibilities.

b