Grammatical niceties: the double possessive

[Greg Nowell]

Perhaps I've got too many romance languages, but I've
always thought the English double possessive to be
silly.  Lately it seems I can't read anything without
seeing it.

I went to visit a friend of Brian's.

Je suis alle rendre visite a un ami de Brian.

Note that the French has a simple genitive.  Why can't
we just say I went to see a friend of Brian?  In fact,
that's what I usually write.  But maybe it's a
gallicism.  God knows I had a pissing match a few years
ago with the editor of my book.

--
Gregory P. Nowell
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science, Milne 100
State University of New York
135 Western Ave.
Albany, New York 12222

Fax 518-442-5298