Discussion Groups / English Usage / August 2009

Exactly my feeling. Thanks for the confirmation.

Marius Hancu

By what standard of "correct"?

The issue of genitive with gerund is probably now eligible for frequent-
flyer miles on this board.  The rule remains that the genitive is used
unless the resulting form is ghastly or impossible *and* not readily
susceptible of casting.  To quote Bernstein (_The Careful Writer_), who
is pretty liberal on the topic,

 "One general guide, which flows from the history of the language, is to
 use the genitive with the gerund whenever it is possible. . . . When
 the genitive does not seem to be possible, a slight reconstruction of
 the sentence--frequently accompanied by improvement--is a possibility
 that should be examined."

He does go on to concede that "Despite all diligent effort, however, the
writer will find that some 'fused participles' [Fowler's term for the
form] will simply have to remain fused."  An example he gives is:

 "The cry of outrage over girls as young as thirteen years old plunging
 to their deaths from windows of the burning building has never been
 stilled."

OK, if you have a form like that, and aren't willing to do a major
recasting of the sentence, then the fused participle will indeed have to
stand.  But for elementary constructions such as "It is a matter of your
saying . . . " there are no two ways.