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MUSCOVITE Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
A friend of the Smiths
Hi,
Please help me out .... I would expect the Smiths to be in the posessive case here?
Why not a friend of the Smiths'?
Thank you!
mus-te
Please help me out .... I would expect the Smiths to be in the posessive case here?
Why not a friend of the Smiths'?
Thank you!
mus-te
Top answer
You may if you like, but there is no call for what is termed the 'double genitive' here. It is a simple use of the 'of' genitive: A friend of mine A friend of the Smiths The double genitive is common in some applications, but it is really only needed to avoid confusion, as in "a photo of the Smiths' " (as opposed to "a photo of the Smiths").
- You may if you like, but there is no call for what is termed the 'double genitive' here.
- It is a simple use of the 'of' genitive: A friend of mine A friend of the Smiths The double genitive is common in some applications, but it is really only needed to avoid confusion, as in "a photo of the Smiths' " (as opposed to "a photo of the Smiths").
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1 Answers
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You may if you like, but there is no call for what is termed the 'double genitive' here. It is a simple use of the 'of' genitive:
A friend of mine
A friend of the Smiths
The double genitive is common in some applications, but it is really only needed to avoid confusion, as in "a photo of the Smiths' " (as opposed to "a photo of the Smiths").
A friend of mine
A friend of the Smiths
The double genitive is common in some applications, but it is really only needed to avoid confusion, as in "a photo of the Smiths' " (as opposed to "a photo of the Smiths").
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