Usage of 's: Mr Pike is a teacher of Jack/Jack's.

[Nessie]

[Yankee]

While you're waiting for Alan to reply, Nessie, let me ask you a question:
Have you been taught that writing something such as 'It is the pen of my aunt' is correct and natural? (I hope not!)

To me, Alan was simply saying that your first sentence is not very natural -- just as 'the pen of my aunt' is not very natural.

When you ask whether something is an "acceptable" usage in English, do you want to know whether there is a remote possibility that it might be used, or do you want to know what is common and natural?
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[Molly]

[Yankee]

.

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[Molly]

You don't know?

Is this natural?

"My Lords, I have had the advantage of reading in draft the speech of my noble and learned friend, Lord Browne-Wilkinson."

This?

"It probably began after the birth of my daughter , Sophie, 11 years ago. "

And this?

"I think that that is an absolutely disgusting thing to say, to appear to make voyeurism a greater sin than the murder of my son," he said. "

And...?

"Commercial break Brian was my former husband and the father of my children, and he is the man with whom I share this disease."

[Yankee]

Neither 'the pen of my aunt' nor 'a teacher of Jack' appears in any of the quotes in your last post. Rereading them carefully will probably confirm that for you.

If you want to discuss the sentences in your last post, I'd suggest starting your own thread.
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[Molly]

[Molly]

Hey, folks: how about these?

the driveway of my aunt

The wedding anniversary of my aunt Pat

At home I was the darling of my aunt,

and even followed in the footsteps of my aunt

Unnatural all?

[MrPedantic]

The structures here are:

a) X is a Y of Z's
b) X is a Y of Z

where Y denotes a relationship, and Z is probably human, or at least animate.

If we locate examples on a scale of "familiarity", as indicated by the use of forenames, etc., the possessive forms seem more appropriate at one end of the scale, and the "of" forms at the other. Thus:

Group A: familiar
The (b) version sounds not quite right (or "unusual"):

1a. He's a friend of Jack's
1b. He's a friend of Jack

2a. He's a teacher of Jack's
2b. He's a teacher of Jack

Group B: quite familiar
Both versions sound normal; the focus in each is slightly different:

3a. He's a friend of my sister's
3b. He's a friend of my sister

4a. He's a friend of Mr Whiteside's
4b. He's a friend of Mr Whiteside

Group C: more remote
The (a) version sounds "chummy", perhaps oddly so:

5a. He's a pupil of Francis Bacon's
5b. He's a pupil of Francis Bacon

6a. He's a friend of the Pope's
6b. He's a friend of the Pope

Group D: very remote
The (a) version begins to sound inappropriate:

7a. He's a grandson of Queen Victoria's
7b. He's a grandson of Queen Victoria

Thus the movement on the scale is from a preference for the a) forms towards a preference for the b) forms.

There is also another group, which does not relate to "familiarity":

Group E: ecliptic
Another meaning takes precedence; thus here in b) the meaning "someone who studied Kant" eclipses the meaning "one of Kant's students":
8a. He was a student of Kant's
8b. He was a student of Kant

MrP

[MrPedantic]

[Nessie]

[Molly]

The structures here are:

[Yankee]

[Yankee]

[Molly]

Sorry, folks, meant to say.