"[somebody]'s theme" vs "[somebody] theme" — Saxon genitive dillema


When is it required to use 's in phrases like below (examples taken from Wikipedia)?



  • James Bond theme

  • 007 theme

  • Boba Fett motif

  • Droids motif

  • Yoda's theme

  • ...


Are there any rules for eliding Saxon genitive?


How does the situation change if we have something instead of somebody?



Answer



I wouldn't think of it as "eliding" anything: there are two different constructions:



possessive + noun


modifying-noun + noun



The first is mostly limited to animate possessors, and denotes something belonging to or specifically associated with the possessor, whereas the second is not so limited, and denotes a less specific association.


In the cases you have given, either is possible*, with little or no difference in meaning. But sometimes one is impossible, or there is a difference in meaning. So



007 theme



Means a theme associated with the idea or the person 007, whereas



007's theme



is specifically thinking of 007 as a designation of a person, and specifying a theme associated with that person. Similarly



James Bond theme



is ambiguous as to whether it means a theme specifically associated with the character of Bond, or more generally associated with the phenomenon (or brand) James Bond.


*At first I didn't think "007's theme" was possible, until I remembered that "007" can refer to the person.


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