A question about saxon genitive

[irmamar]

Charles' I history or Charles I's history?

Thanks.

[hermit]

"Charles I's history", (but I'd probably write it as the history of Charles I).

[irmamar]

Well, I wrote 'history', but my sentence was "Charles I's difficulties...".

Thank you, Hermit. (I would have sworn that it was Charles' I ).

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by irmamar

(I would have sworn that it was Charles' I ).

But that would have meant "The first difficulty of Charles"

[irmamar]

Would it? Thank you.

[laepelba]

I would totally turn the words around like Perikles suggests and talk about "the difficulties of Charles I" or "the difficulties that Charles I had..."

[irmamar]

Don't you like to use saxon genitive?

[Rusty]

We use the Saxon genitive a lot, and I believe that it's used more when we're speaking than when we're writing. It may be that we're choosing the written form over the spoken form here in the forums, but I wanted to ask others their opinions.


If the subject in question were "Alexander the Great," would you say "Alexander the Great's difficulties," but write "the difficulties of Alexander the Great," or would you give both forms of communication equal treatment? Which form would you use?

[Elaina]

¡Gracias Irmamar! En mi vida había escuchado "saxon genitives" a lo que me impulsó a hacer una búsqueda y aprender algo. Hoy aprendí algo nuevo. Aunque la regla es una que siempre sabía no sabía que tenía nombre.

Live and learn!

[irmamar]

Me sorprendes, Elaina. But you're welcome, of course.

Rusty, do you mean that saxon genitive is less formal than the other form?