Two Names in Regard to a Possession

Question

1. It was Don and Craig's idea.2. It was Don's and Craig's idea.Do both of those work? In speaking, I rarely hear the second form, with the possession put on both names, so I got used to saying it in the way of the first example a long time ago. But is it right?Thanks.

Snarf · Accepted Answer

Oh, never mind. I did a little investigating online and found out that the second way is right when referring to the possession of separate items, not the same one.

Canadian45 · Answer

1. It was Don and Craig's idea.
2. It was Don's and Craig's idea.

Although 2. seems to be more sensible, the powers that be have decided that 1. is correct for joint possession. But that can lead to confusion, as in rhe example below.

Tom and Bob's father......'
Is that one person or two? So sometimes you have to revise the sentence to remove ambiguity.
You have to say something like 'Tom, along with Bob's father,......' or 'The father of Tom and Bob.......'

Snarf · Answer

Is this correct if the two people spoken of own the same car?

It is his and Bob's car.

What do the powers that be say about that?

Canadian45 · Answer

Snarf.....Is this correct if the two people spoken of own ~~the same~~ a car together? yes
"the same car" can mean 'the same kind' of car.
It is his and Bob's car.
What do the powers that be say about that? I don't think we have to ask them, because the meaning is very clear.

Fivejedjon · Answer

SnarfOh, never mind. I did a little investigating online and found out that the second way is right when referring to the possession of separate items, not the same one.

Only if we use a plural: They were Dons' and Craig's ideas.

Snarf · Answer

canadian45It is his and Bob's car.What do the powers that be say about that? I don't think we have to ask them, because the meaning is very clear.

Okay, good, then, so we don't write "It is he and Bob's car," whether they own the car together or not. We use "his," correct?

Surfer · Answer

fivejedjonOnly if we use a plural: They were Dons' and Craig's ideas.

Hi. Can we instead use commas, It was Don's, and Craig's, idea?

Thank you.

Fivejedjon · Answer

Snarf... we don't write "It is he and Bob's car," whether they own the car together or not. We use "his," correct?

That is correct.

Fivejedjon · Answer

Surfer Can we instead use commas, It was Don's, and Craig's, idea?Thank you.

If we do, we are separating and Craig's from the rest of the sentences as if with brackets. It makes these words almost an afterthought.

Snarf · Answer

fivejedjon Snarf... we don't write "It is he and Bob's car," whether they own the car together or not. We use "his," correct?That is correct.

Interesting. Let's try an example without "It is" and see what happens:

John walked over to his and Bob's table.

Do you still say that "his" is correct, or does "he" now seem better to you? With the "his" there, does it still sound like there is only one thing that is possessed, or does it sound like John walked over to two tables, his and Bob's? One of the reasons that I'm having trouble with this is that we would not write, "I walked over to my and Bob's table." It would be, "...me and Bob's table," and "me" is equivalent to "he," not "his," just like "John's" is equivalent to "his," not he. And we don't want "John's"; we want "John," in terms of substitution, that is. You see?

Thanks.

Two Names in Regard to a Possession

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