The Possessor may own or may be borrowing, renting, wearing, or holding the property.

Prototypical prepositions are with and without:

• People with money 001

There is also a (negated) possession sense of out/out_of:

• We are out_of toilet paper. 005

• Toilet paper? We are out. 006

Attire may be construed in multiple ways:

• the kid with a vest/makeup (on) 002

• the kid in a vest (Possession↝Locus) 003

Immediate concrete possession uses an Ancillary construal:

• Hagrid exited the shop with (= carrying) a snowy owl. (Possession↝Ancillary) 004

Transfer, goods, and services#

In a commercial scene, goods, services, and money are distinguished. Possession is used as the scene role for goods for sale. Possession also applies to a piece of property transferred between parties, lost, acquired, or carried, even if no money changes hands. Theme is the scene role for commercial services. Cost applies to the money asked, paid, or owed.

The construal Possession↝Theme is used for goods marked by on, for, etc., whereas with can be simple Possession:

• Simple change of possession and transfer:

  • I bestowed the winner with a bicycle/$100. (Possession) (Cost#006) 007

  • They robbed her of her life savings. (Possession↝Theme) 008

• Goods:

  • They spent $500 on the bicycle. (Possession↝Theme) (Theme#021) 009

  • They charged/asked/paid/owed $500 for the bicycle. (Possession↝Theme) 010

  • $500 for the bicycle was excessive. (Possession↝Theme) 011

Contrast services at Theme#026, Theme#028, Theme#030.

Paraphrase test: “Possessor POSSESSES Possession”, “Possessor is IN POSSESSION OF Possession”, or “Possessor HAS ON Possession” for stative possession; Recipient ACQUIRES Possession or Originator LOSES Possession for change of possession. “IN POSSESSION OF” is especially appropriate for immediate concrete possession.