ABSTRACT
The man who advertised a “superfluous hair-remover” would have done better to put the hyphen between superfluous and hair.
9.5. With regard to genitives we notice corresponding phenomena: in her mother’s heart the adjunct her belongs to the whole expression mother’s heart (cp., on the other hand, the heart of her mother). Similarly in “Interrupted by a loud visitor’s knock at the front door.” In a haggard, old man’s smile the word haggard qualifies old man’s smile, which is felt as one whole.
