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Hihope Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Luke 2:1 suitable preposition

1) Luke 2:1

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world."


I felt unfamiliar when I saw above sentence because of a preposition "of".

In my experience, I think "in" is a more suitable word.

If I see below sentence I can understand and have no wonder.

2) "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census of the entire Roman world should be taken."


Q1) Why author used "of" in this sentence?

Q2) Why author used sentence 1) instead of sentence 2)?

Q3) What's different meaning when using of and in?

  

Top answer

(1) may have been chosen over (2) for extra emphasis on "entire Roman world", or because of a general sense that it felt stylistically better, or for no particular reason. "of" means that the entire Roman world was the subject of the census. "in" means that the entire Roman world was the location in which the census was conducted.

— GPY

  • (1) may have been chosen over (2) for extra emphasis on "entire Roman world", or because of a general sense that it felt stylistically better, or for no particular reason.
  • "of" means that the entire Roman world was the subject of the census.
  • "in" means that the entire Roman world was the location in which the census was conducted.
  • The former feels more appropriate.
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2 Answers
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(1) may have been chosen over (2) for extra emphasis on "entire Roman world", or because of a general sense that it felt stylistically better, or for no particular reason.

"of" means that the entire Roman world was the subject of the census. "in" means that the entire Roman world was the location in which the census was conducted. The former feels more appropriate.

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Note how to ask questions below. You must write "did ... use" in the first two.

hihopeQ1) Why author used did the author use "of" in this sentence?
Q2) Why author used did the author use sentence 1) instead of sentence 2)?
Q3) What's different
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