Syntax

Syntactic actants

Actant 1: whose nose it is
(a) Genitive
(b) Possessive
Нос Николая Ивановича имел весьма своеобразную форму. Nikolai Ivanovich's nose had a unique shape.
Жучкин розовый нос был похож на шляпку гриба. Zhuchka's [a dog] pink nose looked like a mushroom cap.
NB When the word нос functions as a subject and has no descriptive modifier, the construction нос у + Genitive is often preferred to (a) and (b), above:
Нос у Николая Ивановича был большой и красный. Nikolai Ivanovich's nose was large and red.