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Cho7712 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

ditransitive

Cambridge Grammar book says that verbs like acquire, obtain cannot be used as a ditransitive verb. But, I just found that these examples in the Kor-Eng dictionary.
1. His manners acquired him universal odium.
2. His work obtained him great fame.
Why is the incongruity occurring? Which one is to slip, the dictionary or the trustworthy grammar source?
  

Top answer

The following is based on current US usage. Cambridge is a British publication and its usage is British, which can differ from US usage. The verbs acquire and obtain can have two objects, for example: I obtained the book for him.

— Anonymous

  • The following is based on current US usage.
  • Cambridge is a British publication and its usage is British, which can differ from US usage.
  • The verbs acquire and obtain can have two objects, for example: I obtained the book for him.
  • I acquired the book for him.
  • His manners acquired (for) him universal scorn.
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3 Answers
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The following is based on current US usage. Cambridge is a British publication and its usage is British, which can differ from US usage.

The verbs acquire and obtain can have two objects, for example:

I obtained the book for him.

I acquired the book for him.

His manners acquired (for) him universal scorn. (The word odium is not used today in English.)
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Thank you for the answer.
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AnonymousI obtained the book for him. I acquired the book for him
I would say that 'him' was a prepositional object in those two sentences.
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