London Banter - View Single Post

James Farrar · April 18th 07, 07:26 PM posted to uk.transport.london,alt.usage.english

On Wed, 18 Apr 2007 19:37:39 +0100, wrote:

On Wed, 18 Apr 2007 19:05:39 +0100, "Mike Lyle"
wrote:

That 1709+ sense isn't the "his university" one. Earlier in the
entry there are plenty of examples of "his" used for things which aren't
possessions. I think Clavox has the wrong end of the stick. And even if
he _has_ identified a change, it wouldn't be relevant in the slightest
to current formal English, in which "his school" etc are perfectly
idiomatic. If he doubts the validity of this attitude, ask him why he
isn't talking like the first line of OED's examples.

Mike I am not and wasn't after an argument here but has I said it
always riles me when I see and hear people saying this kind of thing
" HIS firm does this that and the other etc etc" wrong in my book it
should be the firm or company he works for does etc etc .

Clavox, meet idiom.