Wording
Hi,
Studying a text in a English course, I came across two strange phrasing options. I highlighted them green on the attached image.
First one sounds something like : "The idea is the inspiration of Richard Olivier..." The issue here is that "inspiration" is, from my point of view, a mental process. One can be inspired by someone/something, and "inspiration" refers to this kind of mental activity, not to its outcome. The idea results by means of inspiration, but it is not inspiration by itself. Nevertheless, I encountered this in a English course. It can't be wrong. What do I miss?
The second refers to the use of preposition "on" in "Janni, one of the teachers on the course, ....". Shouldn't it be "teachers of the course"? I don't know why, but it seems somehow inaccurate. Can you please give grounds for this usage?
ty
Top answer
One meaning of 'inspiration' is a ' sudden brilliant idea'. I agree that ' of' would be better. On leaves open the possibility that 'teacher' is the profession of some of the students.
- One meaning of 'inspiration' is a ' sudden brilliant idea'.
- I agree that ' of' would be better.
- On leaves open the possibility that 'teacher' is the profession of some of the students.
- Nevertheless, the context does not pursue this meaning so the reader is not really going to be confused.
- Both on and of are function words that have a broad and quite abstract range of meaning..
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One meaning of 'inspiration' is a 'sudden brilliant idea'.
I agree that 'of' would be better. On leaves open the possibility that 'teacher' is the profession of some of the students. Nevertheless, the context does not pursue this meaning so the reader is not really going to be confused.
Both on and of are function words that have a broad and quite
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