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Reegis Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The couple split the profits between them/themselves.
Hello,
I must admit I am in a dilemma over two meanings:
1) The couple split the profits between them.
2) The couple split the profits between themselves.
Does 1) mean that the couple gave the profits to some other people while 2) mean that each of them received his/her portion? Or it is not so unambiguous?
I must admit I am in a dilemma over two meanings:
1) The couple split the profits between them.
2) The couple split the profits between themselves.
Does 1) mean that the couple gave the profits to some other people while 2) mean that each of them received his/her portion? Or it is not so unambiguous?
Top answer
The couple split the profits between themselves. Reflexive pronouns are used when the object refers exactly to the same group of people as the subject. ) The profits were not shared with anyone else.
- The couple split the profits between themselves.
- Reflexive pronouns are used when the object refers exactly to the same group of people as the subject.
- ) The profits were not shared with anyone else.
- a=british Reegis Does 1) mean that the couple gave the profits to some other people Maybe.
- It's ambiguous and depends on the context.
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5 Answers
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The couple split the profits between themselves.
Reflexive pronouns are used when the object refers exactly to the same group of people as the subject.
The profits were split between the two people (the couple.) The profits were not shared with anyone else.
http://dicti
Reflexive pronouns are used when the object refers exactly to the same group of people as the subject.
The profits were split between the two people (the couple.) The profits were not shared with anyone else.
http://dicti
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Now I think it is clear - themselves is very specific, while them can basically mean any group of people. Let me sum up all possible combinations:
1) The couple split the profits between them.
The receiver of the profits:
- the couple (they got everything),
- a group of people that does include the couple (they shared the profits with others),
- a grou
1) The couple split the profits between them.
The receiver of the profits:
- the couple (they got everything),
- a group of people that does include the couple (they shared the profits with others),
- a grou
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Reegis1) The couple split the profits between them.- the couple (they got everything) That is a very unlikely interpretation because otherwise we would have used "themselves."
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A few more comments:
If the profits were split more than 2 ways, including others besides the couple, the writer would have used "among them."
"Between themselves" suggests some selfishness or exclusiveness; "between them" does not have that connotation.
If the profits were split more than 2 ways, including others besides the couple, the writer would have used "among them."
"Between themselves" suggests some selfishness or exclusiveness; "between them" does not have that connotation.
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