Still 'nother grammar question, please

[TarnishedPenny]

Two little girls, always together. Looking back, is it more correct to say, they were each other's shadow or they were each other's shadows? Each time I settle on an answer to that, the other seems better.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I'd write "each other's shadow" because each girl only has one shadow. Unless they're indoors under spotlights, but you know what I mean .

 

[tedsbeds]

I'd write "each other's shadow" because each girl only has one shadow. Unless they're indoors under spotlights, but you know what I mean .

Can't argue with that.

 

[NotWise]

Two little girls, always together. Looking back, is it more correct to say, they were each other's shadow or they were each other's shadows? Each time I settle on an answer to that, the other seems better.

I'd go with singular shadow.

Is it "other's", "others", or "others'?"

 

[KeithD]

I'd go with singular shadow.

Is it "other's", "others", or "others'?"

I'd say "other's," as it's possessive and the "each" makes it singular.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Thanks, all.

 

[HectorBidon]

According to this blog "shadows" would be more common, because you're talking about two girls, and hence two shadows. In this example: "The students marked each other’s papers." the singular wouldn't work.

However, some grammarians (and some eroticians as well, apparently) would find "shadow" to be more logical in a case like this. Both sound acceptable to me, and so I would probably base the choice on whether the singular or plural rings incrementally better within the surrounding context. And then I'd change my mind a few times before hitting send.

 

[lanceGibs]

If you still have doubts you can reframe the phrase to read

'Shadows of each other'

 

[SimonDoom]

If you still have doubts you can reframe the phrase to read

'Shadows of each other'

That doesn't answer the question.

Should it be "shadow of each other" or "shadows of each other"?

 

[NotWise]

I'd say "other's," as it's possessive and the "each" makes it singular.

Isn't the singular possessive of a pronoun usually written without an apostrophe (its, theirs, etc)?

I usually avoid using "other" as a pronoun because of the weirdness of how to write it.

 

[XerXesXu]

That doesn't answer the question.

Should it be "shadow of each other" or "shadows of each other"?

'each the other's shadow'

 

[KeithD]

Isn't the singular possessive of a pronoun usually written without an apostrophe (its, theirs, etc)?

I usually avoid using "other" as a pronoun because of the weirdness of how to write it.

You may be right about the first. I've seen the issue, but I haven't seen where it's been discussed.

On the second, this is irrelevant to the question, which was how to do it with "other," not how to rewrite it in someone else's (elses?) words. I try to respond to the questions asked.

 

[NotWise]

You may be right about the first. I've seen the issue, but I haven't seen where it's been discussed.

On the second, this is irrelevant to the question, which was how to do it with "other," not how to rewrite it in someone else's (elses?) words. I try to respond to the questions asked.

The second was just expressing my own confusion.

 

[SimonDoom]

Isn't the singular possessive of a pronoun usually written without an apostrophe (its, theirs, etc)?

.

No. Sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn't.

"Each other" is considered a reciprocal pronoun. The possessive form is "each other's." It's definitely not "each others."

The answer to TP's original question seems surprisingly cloudy, based on what I can see. Chicago Manual of Style 17th ed. section 5.53, on the subject of possessive reciprocal pronouns, provides this example:

We admired each other's watch.

So that indicates that CMOS says the noun should be singular, not plural.

I saw sources online that advocated the plural.

I think if you go with the singular, you're on solid ground, but there will be those who say the plural is fine, too.

 

[NotWise]

No. Sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn't.

"Each other" is considered a reciprocal pronoun. The possessive form is "each other's." It's definitely not "each others."

The answer to TP's original question seems surprisingly cloudy, based on what I can see. Chicago Manual of Style 17th ed. section 5.53, on the subject of possessive reciprocal pronouns, provides this example:

We admired each other's watch.

So that indicates that CMOS says the noun should be singular, not plural.

I saw sources online that advocated the plural.

I think if you go with the singular, you're on solid ground, but there will be those who say the plural is fine, too.

See? That's why I'm confused and just try to avoid that corner of the English language.

 

[SimonDoom]

'each the other's shadow'

That conveys a different meaning.

Your phrase suggests that A is the shadow of B and B is the shadow of A.

"each other's shadow" suggests that A has a shadow and B has a shadow, but it suggests nothing, without more words, about the relationship between A and B or about the relationship between A's shadow and B's shadow.

Ex:

Bill and Bob were twins. Each was the other's shadow.

v.

Bill and Bob admired each other's shadow.

 

[SimonDoom]

See? That's why I'm confused and just try to avoid that corner of the English language.

Perfectly understandable. It's one of those cases where usage, not logic, provides the answer, and even usage doesn't seem clear. English is like that a lot.

 

[XerXesXu]

That conveys a different meaning.

Your phrase suggests that A is the shadow of B and B is the shadow of A.

"each other's shadow" suggests that A has a shadow and B has a shadow, but it suggests nothing, without more words, about the relationship between A and B or about the relationship between A's shadow and B's shadow.

Ex:

Bill and Bob were twins. Each was the other's shadow.

v.

Bill and Bob admired each other's shadow.

‘they were each other's shadow’ or 'they were each the other's shadow'

Simply. I disagree. To my mind the OP is intending to imply reciprocity and that is preserved in either wording.

 

[SimonDoom]

‘they were each other's shadow’ or 'they were each the other's shadow'

Simply. I disagree. To my mind the OP is intending to imply reciprocity and that is preserved in either wording.

You're right! Based on what the OP wrote. I ignored that and went off on my own tangent. I agree that your version conveys the same meaning as the version the OP wrote. I think her version seems more "correct," but your version means the same thing.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Gentlemen, ladies - I sincerely thank you for your comments and advice.

Second statement, totally unconnected to that - Literotica, the place where you can ask a simple question and get back a Monty Python operetta. I love you guys.

 

[SimonDoom]

Gentlemen, ladies - I sincerely thank you for your comments and advice.

Second statement, totally unconnected to that - Literotica, the place where you can ask a simple question and get back a Monty Python operetta. I love you guys.

Or the Monty Python Argument Clinic: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2hwqn9

 

[Zeb_Carter]

"And the black knight, without legs and arms, rode in on his legless horse, only to fall out of the saddle and roll around on the ground spurting blood everywhere."



Now, should there be a comma after saddle?

 

[yowser]

Grammar's not dead yet.

 

[Trionyx]

Grammar's not dead yet.

Though many people are trying to kill it.