Formation of Possessive Constructions
A simple basic Possessive Construction is two nouns where the first noun "owns" the second noun. Ev - house and duvar - wall produces a Possessive Construction evin duvarı [ev-in duvar-ı] - the wall of the house - literally in Turkish - "the house-of wall-its".
With this we can form a Possessive Construction like - evin duvarı [ev-in duvar-ı] - the wall of the house.
The first noun is the Possessor with a Suffix of Ownership (Genitive Suffix) - ev-in - of the house, the house's.
Whilst the second noun is the Possessed Object and is given the 3rd Person Suffix - duvarı - the (its) wall.
If the motion toward, static or motion away suffix is the added we have:
evin duvarına - to the wall of the house [to the house's wall]
evin duvarında - at/on/in the wall of the house [in/on/at the house's wall]
evin duvarından - from the wall of the house [from the house's wall]
Consider the following examples
Odanın içinde yer bulup oturdu. - He found a place in the room and sat down. [In the inside of the room..]
Mehmet'in kutuda ne var? - What is in Mehmet's box?
Bilmem, onun içine bakmadım. - I don't know, I have not looked (to the) inside (of) it.
Bankanın içinden bir ses geliyordu. - A sound was coming from (the) inside (of) the bank.
Bu odanın içindekiler birbiriyle sohbet ediyor. - The people in this room are chatting to each other. [The people that are in the inside of the room are chatting to each other]
Omission of the Possessive Suffix
In many cases the suffix of Possession may be omitted from the first noun with very little difference in meaning:
Fabrikanın içinde çok insan çalışıyor. - Fabrika içinde çok insan çalışıyor.
Both the above mean - Many people are working in the factory.
But in other cases there is a distinction in definiteness and specific meaning when the Possession Suffix is omitted from the first noun.
Frequently the distinction is one of definiteness (or specificity). If the first noun carries the Possessive Suffix, it is definite (specific) and refers to a particular specific object known to the speaker.
Bu hayvanlar mağaranın içinde yaşar. - These animals live wall the cave. [a definite cave]
Eşyalarımı kutunun içine koydum. - I put my things into the box. [A definite box]
If however the Possessive Suffix is absent then the noun becomes indefinite and is often used in a general sense:
Bu hayvanlar mağara içinde yaşar - These animals live wall caves. [caves generally]
Eşyalarımı kutu içine koydum. - I put my things into a box/boxes [Indefinite box/boxes]
Sometimes the Possessive Compound corresponds to an idiomatic expression:
Ali'nin dairesi, şehrin içinde. - Ali's office is (right) in the town.
Ali'nin dairesi, şehir içinde. - Ali's office is in town. ("downtown" - USA usage)
Also the Possessive (genitive) is normally omitted when it is used in a metaphorical instead of actual physical sense:
Bir hafta içinde kitabını bitirecek. - He will finish his book within a week.
İki gün içinde geri döneceğim. - I'll return in(side) two days.
However, when the first noun is already definite (as in the case of the Demonstrative Pronouns - this and that) then it must have a Possessor Suffix:
Bu şehrin içinde çok insan var. - There are many people (living) in this city.
Bu bahçenin içinde çok çeşit çiçek bulunur. - Many type of flowers are to be found in this garden.
Yangın, o adamın ofisinin içinde başlamış. - Apparently [-mış] the fire started in that man's office. (chained possession "in the wall of the office of the man")
O hayvanlar şu mağaranın içinde yaşar. - Those animals live wall that cave.