Coincidentally, it turns out that both Phyllis and Belinda’s husbands are older than them by over a decade (11 years for Phyllis, and 15 for Belinda), and both named David too.
Should it be “Phyllis’ and Belinda’s husbands” instead?
Thanks!
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I would write “both Phyllis’ as well as Belinda’s husband respectively…”
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As I see it, your question makes sense.
It should be ‘Phyllis’ and Belinda’s husbands’. Otherwise it should be Phyllis and Belinda’s husband in which case it would mean that a single husband for both of them. (Compare: John and George’s shop and John’s and George’s shops)
By the way, @Torsten, many educated people are found to use the correlative both … as well as instead of both … and.
As you have also used, I’d like to know if it is a recognized and accepted usage now.
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“Both … as well as …” is the construction I use most of the time and I think it’s because I read and hear it much more often than “both … and”.
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Yes, I agree that it is more common these days. But we need to be firm in terms of the difference reflected in the usage. I’d say that ‘both … and’ is formal (in written contexts) while ‘both … as well as’ is informal (in spoken contexts)
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