Using "the two" as subject of a sentence
Hi,
in Italian we can use something like "the two" as a subject for a sentence. If there are two people and there's no other way to identify them both at the same time (for example, they are a man and a woman, and you can't say something like "the two men"), you can simply say "the two". e.g.:
The two said they would join me soon.
Is this correct in English as well? Thank you. (And happy new year!!)
Top answer
The two said they would join me soon. I wouldn't say it's common, though it's certainly possible. "The two" is analysed as 'fused determiner-head' noun phrase.
- The two said they would join me soon.
- I wouldn't say it's common, though it's certainly possible.
- "The two" is analysed as 'fused determiner-head' noun phrase.
- It's called 'fused' because the head noun and the determiner "two" are fused together into the single word "two".
- We understand it to mean 'The two x", where "x" means friends/colleagues (of mine), people (I met), or whoever'.
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The two said they would join me soon.
I wouldn't say it's common, though it's certainly possible.
"The two" is analysed as 'fused determiner-head' noun phrase. It's called 'fused' because the head noun and the determiner "two" are fused together into the single word "two".
We understand it to mean 'The two x", where "x" means friends/colleagues (of mine), people
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