Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: Pronome possessivo 3a persona sing

Scusate, una domanda di fondamenti grammaticali:
come mai in inglese non esiste la 3a persona singolare pronome
possessivo? mine,yours,his,hers,- (??),yours,theirs
ciao
Salvatore

Salm <sa...@REMOVETOREPLYfreemail.it> wrote in message
news:1encbxn.1ruj5v51v8ycy2N%sa...@REMOVETOREPLYfreemail.it...

Most of the masculine/feminine aspects of grammar got lost when they
restricted teaching and writing English for 50 years after the Norman
Conquest in 1066. English was only spoken, and rapidly lost unnecessary
grammatical elements.
But - in this way at least - English is efficient - "il mio libro" tells you
three times that the book is masculine (not too useful), but "her book"
tells you that the owner is female....

In article <1encbxn.1ruj5v51v8ycy2N%sa...@REMOVETOREPLYfreemail.it>, sa...@REMOVETOREPLYfreemail.it says...

The 3rd person singular possessive pronouns are: his, hers.
The one missing from your list is "ours" which is the 1st person plural.
Unless you are asking why we don't use "its" as well as "his" and "hers".
"That is the computer's processor; that is its processor; that processor is its."
We just don't.
Raymot
[[[[[[[[[

 that processor is its." We just don't.
We don't??? You mean I've had it wrong all these decades!? (Not to
mention SH Burton list of personal pronouns. "3rd person singular:
he/she/its; him/her/it; his/hers/its) 
"Nice computer, what's this bit here?" "That's its MIDI input." or "Nice
dog, what's wrong with its foot/paw?" 
Seems OK to me, or am I missing something here. 'It' is not used for
people though.
cheers,
Loki
-- 

> that processor is its." We just don't.
So, in "that is its processor" , "its" is an adjective.  In "that processor is
its", "its" is a pronoun.
Mi sono spiegata? :-))
Ciao
arianna

, lo...@asgard.invalid says...

Yes, Loki, you are missing something.
"Its" is used as a possessive adjective, as in the examples you've given.
It's not used as a possessive pronoun, which is the subject in question.
"That MIDI is its; that foot/paw is not mine, it's its."
At least, not in Australia
Raymot
[[[[[[[[[[

 Mi sono spiegata? :-))
Why I can't I follow English grammar so well? no wonder I have no idea
what I'm doing in italiano.... <Look Ma, no hands...>
Cheers,
Loki
-- 

 its." At least, not in Australia
Oh well c'est la vie. BTW did I mention that I learned my English and
grammar in Australia? <hehe>  ;-)))
She'll be right mate.
Cheers,
Loki
-- 

Loki
Interesting. How many days did you spend here? :p
Raymot
[[[[[[[[[

 Interesting. How many days did you spend here? :p
About 5300 ;-)  
Loki
-- 


Loki, sorry I didn't notice your reply earlier.  I am glad you wrote the above
because that gives me a chance to say something: 
First point:
 I feel and always did feel that this newsgroup is for eveyone who has an
interest in the English language.  That interest can be expressed by either
asking or  anwering questions or by making a comment.  You have answered enough
questions that you can consider yourself an asset to the group.  So you are
safe in that respect.  
Second point:
Many of the discussions that you read here are about some obstruse term or
incomprehensible phrase.  I feel that once in a while we need to discuss some
plain English grammar.  I fear that by keeping the discussion at such a
"professional" level we are excluding some people who would otherwise
participate.  We are also discouraging beginning English students from posting
or answering.  We are lucky enough to have professional translators such as
Anna and Isa and to have people like Bambi grace us with samples of her
beautiful style.  However, we also need people like you and me to keep the 
discussions on a more down to earth level.
OK I got to go now.  got tto turn the computer off.  Davis has asked us to
conserve electricity.
bye
arianna

 >From: "loki" lo...@asgard.invalid

Dear Arianna,
Just to add my support to what you expressed and to say I'm glad  there has
been an opportunity to say what  you did.  The newsgroup is of course open
to all who have any interest in the English language whatsoever and
participation falls into varying categories as you also note- from merely
commenting to offering practical grammatical assistance and a host of
in-between areas.
It would sorely distress me - and I believe quite a number of others here
among us - to think that only those with a certain level of English could
participate. While I can fully understand a reluctance on behalf of someone
who is just starting out, I would urge them, if they read this, to not be
shy and post. Whatever the level, we all had to begin somewhere and I
sincerely hope it is known that all are welcome and that really, we don't
bite.  Those of us who have been here a while know this, but it is good to
have had you remind us.
All welcome herein (save uncouth yobbo's, ill-mannered louts and all lewd
and unsavoury characters.
Hhmm... well maybe the latter could be evaluated on a one-to-one to basis.)
--
I remain, as always,
Bambi
dtb

 term or incomprehensible phrase.  [... ]
Oh how true! Even to me, a native speaker. 
I sometimes disagree with these obtuse points of grammar too, but don't
feel like getting into a long nit-picking discussion, which, as you say,
does nothing but confuse those who want a workable knowledge of English.
BTW Do you need central heating in California in winter?
cheers,
Loki
-- 


Loki, right now we need heating, period!  We are having a power shortage in CA
and Governor Davis has asked us to conserve.  To correct the situation, we are
having rolling black-outs.  Just in case someone out there doesn't know what a
rolling black out is, this will give you an idea:
you are at the computer writing something which you need and you happen to be
running behind schedule.  Of course you have not saved the last half hour of
your work and all of a sudden the screen goes black and the computer goes off. 
Your lights go off, your fridge stops and your CD player is silent.  Oh
no....you are experiencing a rolling black-out.  That means that your local
company (PG&E in my area) has cut off power to your area for a while (like an
hour or and hour an a half for example).  so you lost good part of your work
and you know that your boss is expecting you to turn that in by noon.  At this
point, out of desperation, you  decide to drive to your friend's house to
finish your work on his computer.  But wait!....no... you can't!  You can't
open your garage door because that mechanism is electric too.  You are stuck.
***k!
Thank God, so far this has been a really mild winter (in this area of course).
ciao
ariana

 correct the situation, we are having rolling black-outs. 
[snip]
Nothing like getting back to basics like candles, coats and walking.
;-)))
Sounds like Cosenza all the time, only they turn off the water too.
Better get yourself one of those storage power packs that lets you exit
gracefully from the computer. All those electrical appliances - no
wonder electricity is getting in short supply!. In Perugia you either
have the washing machine on or the oven, but not both as that trips the
fuse switch, thus limiting the draw on power. ;-))
This blackout also gives you time to think about what supplies you need
in case of a major earthquake when power may also be taken out. 
It could be worse, you could live in Minnesota, which I gather gets
veerrry cold.
Auguri,
Cheers,
Loki
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