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Mariott Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Copy

Peter Collinson also made plant lists in his gardening books. In his copy of John Evelyn''s Sylva,

there is a note that a tulip poplar grew in the garden of Lord Petre. John Evelyn himself wrote,

"They have a Poplar in virginia.........

Does 'his copy' mean Collinson re-wrote Evelyn's Syliva or just he has the book?

A silly question.

Thanks in advance!
  

Top answer

It's a perfectly reasonable question. I had to read it twice myself. "His gardening books" were the ones he owned (purchased at the book store).

— Avangi

  • It's a perfectly reasonable question.
  • I had to read it twice myself.
  • "His gardening books" were the ones he owned (purchased at the book store).
  • They weren't the books he wrote.
  • "His copy of Sylva" is the one he bought (or was given as a gift).
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4 Answers
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It's a perfectly reasonable question. I had to read it twice myself.

"His gardening books" were the ones he owned (purchased at the book store). They weren't the books he wrote.

"His copy of Sylva" is the one he bought (or was given as a gift).
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Thanks Avangi! Then the note ('there is a note that a tulip poplar grew in the garden of Lord') was hand-written by Collinson or printed in the book?

Another silly one!
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Of course since it's in the passive voice, the author of the note need not be identified, but a native speaker would take it to mean that the note was hand-written by Collinson, based on context.

I think the tulip poplar grew not in the garden of [The] Lord, but in the garden of Lord Petre.
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