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"I also felt an urgent need to be able to do more to directly impact her and others’ lives during..."

Is the bold part grammatically correct? Should it be "her and others' life"? Do I need to break it up and say "her life and the lives of others"?

Pound Hash
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Andrea
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  • Personally I would make both references to people posessive giving "... hers and others' lives...". This isn't a bad idea even when dealing with words which both have the same plural, for example "...Ali's and Jack's cars are parked in the driveway..." but when the posessive forms are different it removes a lot of ambiguity. – BoldBen Jun 01 '21 at 11:52
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    The sentence is a poor one. It includes three infinitives in quick succession, the third of which is split, and a phrasal verb - impact on which, as this note on usage at Lexico explains, is often avoided. Here are some alternatives: affect, influence, have an effect on, transform, shape, control. "her and others' lives" is not grammatically wrong, but perhaps "her life and the lives of others" is more elegant. – Old Brixtonian Jun 01 '21 at 12:04
  • PS There's a good answer to the posessive question here at StackExchange – Old Brixtonian Jun 01 '21 at 12:07
  • @Old Brixtonian +1 for the << "her and others' lives" is not grammatically wrong, but perhaps "her life and the lives of others" is more elegant >> but -1 for the worry about 'to directly impact'. – Edwin Ashworth Jun 01 '21 at 14:48
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    Welcome to SE EL&U. Your question would be what in North America is often called “great” for a site dedicated to advice on creative writing, but this site specifically designates this (“proof reading”) as off-topic. It also is a matter of subjective opinion — also off-topic. I could rewrite your sentence, but to learn for yourself I suggest you study word use and sentence structure in John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress”. After that you may leave impact to the dental profession. Ok try “to have a direct effect on her life and the lives of others..” – David Jun 01 '21 at 18:55
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    @Edwin Ashworth: It's a harsh world. A +1 cruelly snatched away! It was Lexico who said that use of 'impact' was often avoided. I think the same might be said of split infs, don't you? When speaking, do you split them? Do you split them without noticing? – Old Brixtonian Jun 01 '21 at 22:52
  • @EdwinAshworth: I don't know where you read that "it is me" was originally correct, but i think it's a myth. That argument about Latin was used to bolster arguments in favor of keeping outdated grammar in the face of a changing language, not in favor of changing English grammar to something entirely new. Shakespeare never used it is me or 'tis me, but used it is I and 'tis I eight times — for example, "it is I // That all the abhorred things o' the earth amend // By being worse than they." – Peter Shor Jun 05 '21 at 12:20
  • @Peter Shor I'll retract To OB: Do you get a mild shock every time you use 'It's me'? (Apparently a 'correct' form until a Latin fan imposed a pseudo-rule 200 or so years ago, and now back in favour.) '[It is I or It is me?] Both forms have existed for centuries, with it is me tending to appear in more relaxed contexts even long ago.... you ... can choose whichever you prefer whenever you like.' [M-W] – Edwin Ashworth Jun 05 '21 at 13:20
  • @OldBrixtonian You corrected if beautifully, however, "her and others' lives" cannot possibly be grammatical. – Lambie Jun 05 '21 at 15:19
  • @Lambie Thanks! I wouldn't say it but I don't see "her and others' lives" as ungrammatical. I think we'd all prefer to rewrite such an ugly sentence, but what would you say/write? Edwin Ashworth seemed to think it was OK (above, near the top) and as far as I can tell, Fowler (see my new answer) seems to agree, though I wish he had an example using "others. – Old Brixtonian Jun 08 '21 at 04:54

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I know Fowler was writing a hundred years ago but, as there are still no generally-agreed rules about two possessives in a row, maybe his words are still helpful.

From The King's English:

"I am not sure yours and my efforts would suffice separately; but yours and mine together cannot possibly fail."

The first yours is quite wrong; it should be your.

And

"You altered the succession to theirs, as well as to your own crown." — Burke.

We might possibly tolerate to their as well as to your own; or we might write to their crown as well as to your own.

From A Dictionary of Modern English Usage:

A mistake is often made when two or more possessives are to be referred to a single noun that follows. The correct forms are: your and our and his efforts (not yours and ours); either my or your informant must have lied (not mine); her and his mutual dislike (not hers).
There is no doubt a natural temptation to substitute the wrong word; the simple possessive seems to pine at separation from its property. The true remedy is a change of order: your efforts and ours and his; my informant or yours; our help without yours. It is not always available, however; her and his mutual dislike must be left as it is.

Old Brixtonian
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