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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > I īs part II
I īs part II
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claudineraciti
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I īs part II
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Here part to on mu question about the phrase: my mom and I īs cat.
I might have found a better explanation. Correct me if I īm wrong though!
In the English noun phrase (because My mom and I īs cat would be a noun phrase)
My = pre-modifier
Head = mom and I
After the head you can only get a post-modifier. The īs genitive cannot
be a post-modifier as it is a central determiner. Right? So this phrase
is incorrect. Because a post-modifier could only be a post-modifiying of
phrase in the case of possessives.
Correct or not?
I should have paid more attention it that class.... Oops...
So it should be "the cat of my mom and I"
The = central determiner
cat = Head
of my mom and I = post-modifier
What do you think?
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3 Apr 2011
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almaz
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"The cat of my mom and I" ???
It īs obviously one way, but it īs awkward and doesn īt feel natural. You seem to have rationalised the phrase into a corner now, so can I suggest you look at some of the work done on coordinate possessives here:
It takes a bit of time, but I īm sure you īll feel happier that you īre certainly not alone |
3 Apr 2011
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Apodo
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I would say īour cat � or perhaps if more information was needed īMy mom īs and my cat. � |
3 Apr 2011
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yanogator
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If you want to use the preposition "of", then its objects must be in the objective case, so it is "the cat of my mom and me". However, as Apodo said, and as we answered before, "My mom īs and my cat" is better. Bruce |
3 Apr 2011
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PhilipR
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Grammar mumbo jumbo if you ask me. I īd take Apodoīs or Bruce īs advice if I were you.
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3 Apr 2011
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almaz
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As I said before, Bruce, "my momīs and my cat" can be ambiguous:
My momīs and my cat couldn īt be more different.
In any case, Claudineraciti seems to have given up on using the possessive marker īs - which was surely the point of her original post.
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3 Apr 2011
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ldthemagicman
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Dear Claudineraciti,
Your ESLP image (avatar) and poem pokes a little fun at the Dutch, whom I have always found to be good English-speakers.
Frankly, I wish that I had some in my class.
May I be allowed to complete your poem, with a couple of lines of my own?
"As a finishing touch,
God created the Dutch.
Those who thrived on semantics,
Were described as pedantic.
But to fluent Italians,
Were presented medallions".
All the Best!
Buon compleanno a Italia.
Les |
3 Apr 2011
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claudineraciti
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@ ldthemagicman. Thanks! To be honest I īm Dutch and proud to be... Born and raised and I īve lived in Italy for over 7 years now!
I īll certainly look at the site you gave almaz! It īs quite an interesting issue.
And thanks Bruce you īre absolutely right!
Cheers to you all!
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3 Apr 2011
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yanogator
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Alex, your example is about two cats, so it should be, "My mom īs and my cats couldn īt be more different" or "My mom īs cat and mine couldn īt be more different." "My mom īs and my cat" is one cat, and not ambiguous. Bruce |
4 Apr 2011
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almaz
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No, Bruce, that would then imply more than two cats. I īve only got one, so you wouldn īt say īmy cats �. It īs a minefield. |
4 Apr 2011
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yanogator
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I thoroughly disagree with you, Alex. Cat is singular.
I do agree that "My mom īs and my cats" could be more than two, but it could also be two, just as any plural can be two or more.
Bruce |
6 Apr 2011
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