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Hans51 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
I can't stand Tom's cats. VS. I can't stand those cats of Tom's.
I can't stand Tom's cats. VS. I can't stand those cats of Tom's.
Is there a meaning difference between them? Someone says that the second has an emphasis and it seems like the speaker knows better about the cats.
Do you agree with this explanation?
Or can I say that "Tom's cats" means all of the cats of his but "those cats of Tom's" means some of his cats I am just looking at now, for example, when Tom has three cats, I like one but not the last two cats and then should I say those cats of Tom's?
How can I understand the double possessive form?
Thank you so much as usual in advance.
Is there a meaning difference between them? Someone says that the second has an emphasis and it seems like the speaker knows better about the cats.
Do you agree with this explanation?
Or can I say that "Tom's cats" means all of the cats of his but "those cats of Tom's" means some of his cats I am just looking at now, for example, when Tom has three cats, I like one but not the last two cats and then should I say those cats of Tom's?
How can I understand the double possessive form?
Thank you so much as usual in advance.
Top answer
Hans51 Do you agree with this explanation? Yes. Hans51 Or can I say that "Tom's cats" means all of the cats of his but "those cats of Tom's" means some of his cats I am just looking at now, for example, when Tom has three cats, I like one but not the last two cats and then should I say those cats of Tom's?
- Hans51 Do you agree with this explanation?
- Yes.
- Hans51 Or can I say that "Tom's cats" means all of the cats of his but "those cats of Tom's" means some of his cats I am just looking at now, for example, when Tom has three cats, I like one but not the last two cats and then should I say those cats of Tom's?
- Normally both mean all cats, or we don't care which cats.
- It is possible in theory for "those cats" to mean some specific subset of cats, but in reality it seems rather unlikely, and would need a special context.
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1 Answers
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Hans51Do you agree with this explanation?Yes.
Hans51Or can I say that "Tom's cats" means all of the cats of his but "those cats of Tom's" means some of his cats I am just looking at now, for example, when Tom has three cats, I like one but not the last two cats and then should I say those cats of Tom's?Normally both m
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