I am not sure about what is correct use of words in the following line:
- They lost their lives saving our lives.
or
- They lost their life saving our lives.
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1Got any theories? Research? Anything? – tchrist Jul 27 '15 at 18:18
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1sorry i cud not understand your question. Are you asking about if i have been working on publishing research papers? – msj003 Jul 27 '15 at 18:27
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1@msj003 He is asking for proof that you have tried to answer this question for yourself before turning to Stack Exchange. – Jake Regier Jul 27 '15 at 18:43
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ohhhh i am sorry for misinterpretation. No i don't have any proof as such. – msj003 Jul 27 '15 at 18:49
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possible duplicate of Singular noun objects of plural subjects – choster Jul 27 '15 at 23:00
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Was this just anyone who lost their life, or some specific set of people who lost their lives? – tchrist Jul 27 '15 at 23:26
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@tchrist. This was for a specific set of people. – msj003 Jul 28 '15 at 03:12
1 Answers
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A plural subject requires a plural object (lives), accordingly a singular subject requires a singular object (life).
They can be used to mean one person or several people, however.
So, if your intention is to refer to an individual who lost his or her life whilst saving the lives of more than one others, then the second is correct and the first incorrect. They is singular in this context, so you should use the singular, life.
However, if you mean that more than one person lost their lives whilst saving the lives of more than one others, then the first is correct, the second incorrect.
If the latter is what you are trying to say, a good suggestion made in the comments of this answer is that you leave off the second lives. It's not required because if you write ours then you convey that several of their lives were lost in saving several of our lives.
They lost their lives saving ours.
Charon
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2Unless "they" were all helping play a single player in a role-playing game. – Hot Licks Jul 27 '15 at 18:06
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2It could also be shortened to: "They lost their lives saving ours" to avoid repeating the plural noun. – Mari-Lou A Jul 27 '15 at 18:06
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2Someone might bring up the singular "they" pronoun. When the identity of the rescuer is unknown instead of saying "He or she lost his or her life saving our lives", the singular "they" is often used. [Oh, actually I have brought it up!] – Mari-Lou A Jul 27 '15 at 18:10
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1@Mari-LouA -d'oh, of course! How could I not notice that. I had assumed completely that the OP had meant several life savers, though of course it could well be just one. I've edited my answer now. I think that should cover all eventualities. – Charon Jul 27 '15 at 18:12
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