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Paul_h Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
A student of Eddie's - why genitive?
Hi,
I've heard things like that quite often recently.
She's a friend of Sean's.
He's a student of Eddie's.
They're friends of ours.
Where does the genitive s come from? I can see it in the following sentences:
There's a party at Greg's. We're hanging out at Michael's.
This is just leaving at "house", "place", "apartment".. right?
But in the former sentences, I can't see why one has to do that.
Paul
I've heard things like that quite often recently.
She's a friend of Sean's.
He's a student of Eddie's.
They're friends of ours.
Where does the genitive s come from? I can see it in the following sentences:
There's a party at Greg's. We're hanging out at Michael's.
This is just leaving at "house", "place", "apartment".. right?
But in the former sentences, I can't see why one has to do that.
Paul
Top answer
That is a common form called the 'double genitive'. html ]HERE[/url] and [url=]HERE[/url].
- That is a common form called the 'double genitive'.
- html ]HERE[/url] and [url=]HERE[/url].
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7 Answers
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That is a common form called the 'double genitive'. You can learn more about it [url=http://www.bartleby.com/68/99/1999.html]HERE[/url] and [url=]HERE[/url].
.
That is a common form called the 'double genitive'. You can learn more about it [url=http://www.bartleby.com/68/99/1999.html]HERE[/url] and [url=]HERE[/url].
.
00
Although it's very common (and probably sneaks into my speech), I avoid it in writing: a friend of mine ~ one of my friends.
00
Ok, understood.
I understand that with people one should never use 'of' in general? That is, sentences like
This is the car of Eddie. -> This is Eddie's car.
Shouldn't that also apply to
He's a student of Eddie.
Or could you say that?
Paul
I understand that with people one should never use 'of' in general? That is, sentences like
This is the car of Eddie. -> This is Eddie's car.
Shouldn't that also apply to
He's a student of Eddie.
Or could you say that?
Paul
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paul_h He's a student of Eddie.Sure. It's the preferred form when the teacher is famous.
Or could you say that?
But it would be more common to say, "She studies with Yo Yo Ma."
00
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He's a student of Eddie.I'll take Avangi's word on the perquisites of fame, but to me this means that Eddie is the object of study: He is a student of Schopenhauer.
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Thanks, MrM, I hear you. This may be a grey area, or not something to be broadlly applied. I'll go back to the drawing board. But there's no denying you're right about Schopenhauer! (I wondered how Eddie got so smart.)
Edit. I know Google is no authority on these matters - I was torn with self-doubt - still am!
Nadia Boulanger was a very famous teacher of harmony
Edit. I know Google is no authority on these matters - I was torn with self-doubt - still am!
Nadia Boulanger was a very famous teacher of harmony
00
She's a friend of Sean's.
He's a student of Eddie's.
They're friends of ours.
She is a (= one) friend of (= among) [ those who are ] Sean's [ friends ].
He's a (= one) student of (= among) [ those who are ] Eddie's [students ].
They are friends of (= among) [those
He's a student of Eddie's.
They're friends of ours.
She is a (= one) friend of (= among) [ those who are ] Sean's [ friends ].
He's a (= one) student of (= among) [ those who are ] Eddie's [students ].
They are friends of (= among) [those
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