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SuperESL Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Usage of the phrase "these last"
"Moreover, it was in their nature that once they had overthrown the feudal lords and foreign invaders, they began to adopt [their] ways."
"......began to adopt the ways of the latter."
"......began to adopt the ways of these last."
I am trying to find a way of expression that would leave no doubt that the [their] here corresponds to the whole of "the feudal lords and foreign invaders" and not the subject of the sentence (i.e. the anonymous 'they'). None of the two options I have considered above seems to work well. In both cases there is a danger that the reference at the end of the sentence would be interpreted as meaning only the "foreign invaders," leaving out the "feudal lords." Any ideas?
Thanks.
Joe
"......began to adopt the ways of the latter."
"......began to adopt the ways of these last."
I am trying to find a way of expression that would leave no doubt that the [their] here corresponds to the whole of "the feudal lords and foreign invaders" and not the subject of the sentence (i.e. the anonymous 'they'). None of the two options I have considered above seems to work well. In both cases there is a danger that the reference at the end of the sentence would be interpreted as meaning only the "foreign invaders," leaving out the "feudal lords." Any ideas?
Thanks.
Joe
Top answer
Hi, I'd stick with 'their'. A native speaker would clearly understand that this refers to both the feudal lords and foreign invaders. If that were not the intended meaning, a native writer would write the sentence in a different way.
- Hi, I'd stick with 'their'.
- A native speaker would clearly understand that this refers to both the feudal lords and foreign invaders.
- If that were not the intended meaning, a native writer would write the sentence in a different way.
- Clive
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3 Answers
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Hi,
I'd stick with 'their'.
A native speaker would clearly understand that this refers to both the feudal lords and foreign invaders.
If that were not the intended meaning, a native writer would write the sentence in a differen
I'd stick with 'their'.
A native speaker would clearly understand that this refers to both the feudal lords and foreign invaders.
If that were not the intended meaning, a native writer would write the sentence in a differen
00
Thanks Clive,
Just to pursue this a little bit further, if I did write "....adopt the ways of these last," would "these last" be understood as meaning only the "foreign invaders"?
Thank you.
Joe
Just to pursue this a little bit further, if I did write "....adopt the ways of these last," would "these last" be understood as meaning only the "foreign invaders"?
Thank you.
Joe
00
Hi,
"Moreover, it was in their nature that once they had overthrown the feudal lords and foreign invaders, they began to adopt the ways of these last."
Just to pursue this a little bit further, if I did write "..adopt the ways of these last," would "these last" be understoo
"Moreover, it was in their nature that once they had overthrown the feudal lords and foreign invaders, they began to adopt the ways of these last."
Just to pursue this a little bit further, if I did write "..adopt the ways of these last," would "these last" be understoo
0
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