“in you_ and your family’s best interests”
I’ve seen this picture of a leaflet being tweeted today. It’s supposedly issued by the UK government and distributed widely:
Am I overlooking something or does it really contain the grammar error discussed in "You and your" vs. "Your and your"?
I could see the possessive ’s applying to the whole phrase
it is in (you and your family)’s best interests,
because the plural interests wouldn’t properly match singular your, i.e. it’s a short form of either of
- it is in your best interest and in your family’s best interest
- it is in your best interest and in your family’s best interests
instead of
- it is in your best interests and in your family’s best interests
possessives personal-pronouns ellipsis compound-possessives
edited 13 hours ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked Apr 18 '16 at 21:04
Crissov
405623
|
show 5 more comments
I’ve seen this picture of a leaflet being tweeted today. It’s supposedly issued by the UK government and distributed widely:
Am I overlooking something or does it really contain the grammar error discussed in "You and your" vs. "Your and your"?
I could see the possessive ’s applying to the whole phrase
it is in (you and your family)’s best interests,
because the plural interests wouldn’t properly match singular your, i.e. it’s a short form of either of
- it is in your best interest and in your family’s best interest
- it is in your best interest and in your family’s best interests
instead of
- it is in your best interests and in your family’s best interests
possessives personal-pronouns ellipsis compound-possessives
edited 13 hours ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked Apr 18 '16 at 21:04
Crissov
405623
1
It's a typo probably. Also, it should read: once-in-a-generation decision. The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.
– Lambie
Apr 18 '16 at 21:09
@Lambie Yes, I would have put hyphens there, too, but then I’m German. I would also have expected either “June 23rd, 2016” or “23 June 2016”, but I’m not well versed in British conventions. Please spare the rants for elsewhere.
– Crissov
Apr 18 '16 at 21:16
2
@SimonB. When a non-native speaker asks a serious question about correct English usage you should not dismiss this as "pedantry". Some people do actually care about good English.
– fdb
Apr 18 '16 at 23:33
1
@Lambie You say "The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.", but it's a leaflet from the British Government - not from the EU!
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:38
1
@Crissov You state "the plural interests wouldn’t properly match singular your". "Interests" is very commonly used in the plural because each person has multiple interests.
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:43
|
show 5 more comments
I’ve seen this picture of a leaflet being tweeted today. It’s supposedly issued by the UK government and distributed widely:
Am I overlooking something or does it really contain the grammar error discussed in "You and your" vs. "Your and your"?
I could see the possessive ’s applying to the whole phrase
it is in (you and your family)’s best interests,
because the plural interests wouldn’t properly match singular your, i.e. it’s a short form of either of
- it is in your best interest and in your family’s best interest
- it is in your best interest and in your family’s best interests
instead of
- it is in your best interests and in your family’s best interests
possessives personal-pronouns ellipsis compound-possessives
edited 13 hours ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked Apr 18 '16 at 21:04
Crissov
405623
I’ve seen this picture of a leaflet being tweeted today. It’s supposedly issued by the UK government and distributed widely:
Am I overlooking something or does it really contain the grammar error discussed in "You and your" vs. "Your and your"?
I could see the possessive ’s applying to the whole phrase
it is in (you and your family)’s best interests,
because the plural interests wouldn’t properly match singular your, i.e. it’s a short form of either of
- it is in your best interest and in your family’s best interest
- it is in your best interest and in your family’s best interests
instead of
- it is in your best interests and in your family’s best interests
possessives personal-pronouns ellipsis compound-possessives
possessives personal-pronouns ellipsis compound-possessives
edited 13 hours ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked Apr 18 '16 at 21:04
Crissov
405623
edited 13 hours ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked Apr 18 '16 at 21:04
Crissov
405623
edited 13 hours ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
edited 13 hours ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
edited 13 hours ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
108k28290463
asked Apr 18 '16 at 21:04
Crissov
405623
asked Apr 18 '16 at 21:04
Crissov
405623
asked Apr 18 '16 at 21:04
Crissov
405623
405623
1
It's a typo probably. Also, it should read: once-in-a-generation decision. The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.
– Lambie
Apr 18 '16 at 21:09
@Lambie Yes, I would have put hyphens there, too, but then I’m German. I would also have expected either “June 23rd, 2016” or “23 June 2016”, but I’m not well versed in British conventions. Please spare the rants for elsewhere.
– Crissov
Apr 18 '16 at 21:16
2
@SimonB. When a non-native speaker asks a serious question about correct English usage you should not dismiss this as "pedantry". Some people do actually care about good English.
– fdb
Apr 18 '16 at 23:33
1
@Lambie You say "The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.", but it's a leaflet from the British Government - not from the EU!
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:38
1
@Crissov You state "the plural interests wouldn’t properly match singular your". "Interests" is very commonly used in the plural because each person has multiple interests.
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:43
|
show 5 more comments
1
It's a typo probably. Also, it should read: once-in-a-generation decision. The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.
– Lambie
Apr 18 '16 at 21:09
@Lambie Yes, I would have put hyphens there, too, but then I’m German. I would also have expected either “June 23rd, 2016” or “23 June 2016”, but I’m not well versed in British conventions. Please spare the rants for elsewhere.
– Crissov
Apr 18 '16 at 21:16
2
@SimonB. When a non-native speaker asks a serious question about correct English usage you should not dismiss this as "pedantry". Some people do actually care about good English.
– fdb
Apr 18 '16 at 23:33
1
@Lambie You say "The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.", but it's a leaflet from the British Government - not from the EU!
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:38
1
@Crissov You state "the plural interests wouldn’t properly match singular your". "Interests" is very commonly used in the plural because each person has multiple interests.
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:43
1
1
It's a typo probably. Also, it should read: once-in-a-generation decision. The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.
– Lambie
Apr 18 '16 at 21:09
It's a typo probably. Also, it should read: once-in-a-generation decision. The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.
– Lambie
Apr 18 '16 at 21:09
@Lambie Yes, I would have put hyphens there, too, but then I’m German. I would also have expected either “June 23rd, 2016” or “23 June 2016”, but I’m not well versed in British conventions. Please spare the rants for elsewhere.
– Crissov
Apr 18 '16 at 21:16
@Lambie Yes, I would have put hyphens there, too, but then I’m German. I would also have expected either “June 23rd, 2016” or “23 June 2016”, but I’m not well versed in British conventions. Please spare the rants for elsewhere.
– Crissov
Apr 18 '16 at 21:16
2
2
@SimonB. When a non-native speaker asks a serious question about correct English usage you should not dismiss this as "pedantry". Some people do actually care about good English.
– fdb
Apr 18 '16 at 23:33
@SimonB. When a non-native speaker asks a serious question about correct English usage you should not dismiss this as "pedantry". Some people do actually care about good English.
– fdb
Apr 18 '16 at 23:33
1
1
@Lambie You say "The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.", but it's a leaflet from the British Government - not from the EU!
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:38
@Lambie You say "The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.", but it's a leaflet from the British Government - not from the EU!
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:38
1
1
@Crissov You state "the plural interests wouldn’t properly match singular your". "Interests" is very commonly used in the plural because each person has multiple interests.
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:43
@Crissov You state "the plural interests wouldn’t properly match singular your". "Interests" is very commonly used in the plural because each person has multiple interests.
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:43
|
show 5 more comments
1 Answer
1
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oldest
votes
"I could see the possessive ’s applying to the whole phrase"
You are right. This is normal idiomatic English. Like "the girl I used to go with's father".
answered Apr 18 '16 at 23:30
fdb
5,1251223
add a comment |
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"I could see the possessive ’s applying to the whole phrase"
You are right. This is normal idiomatic English. Like "the girl I used to go with's father".
answered Apr 18 '16 at 23:30
fdb
5,1251223
add a comment |
"I could see the possessive ’s applying to the whole phrase"
You are right. This is normal idiomatic English. Like "the girl I used to go with's father".
answered Apr 18 '16 at 23:30
fdb
5,1251223
add a comment |
"I could see the possessive ’s applying to the whole phrase"
You are right. This is normal idiomatic English. Like "the girl I used to go with's father".
answered Apr 18 '16 at 23:30
fdb
5,1251223
"I could see the possessive ’s applying to the whole phrase"
You are right. This is normal idiomatic English. Like "the girl I used to go with's father".
answered Apr 18 '16 at 23:30
fdb
5,1251223
answered Apr 18 '16 at 23:30
fdb
5,1251223
answered Apr 18 '16 at 23:30
fdb
5,1251223
answered Apr 18 '16 at 23:30
fdb
5,1251223
5,1251223
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
It's a typo probably. Also, it should read: once-in-a-generation decision. The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.
– Lambie
Apr 18 '16 at 21:09
@Lambie Yes, I would have put hyphens there, too, but then I’m German. I would also have expected either “June 23rd, 2016” or “23 June 2016”, but I’m not well versed in British conventions. Please spare the rants for elsewhere.
– Crissov
Apr 18 '16 at 21:16
2
@SimonB. When a non-native speaker asks a serious question about correct English usage you should not dismiss this as "pedantry". Some people do actually care about good English.
– fdb
Apr 18 '16 at 23:33
1
@Lambie You say "The EU is well known for this kind of scrappy writing.", but it's a leaflet from the British Government - not from the EU!
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:38
1
@Crissov You state "the plural interests wouldn’t properly match singular your". "Interests" is very commonly used in the plural because each person has multiple interests.
– TrevorD
Apr 18 '16 at 23:43