For social media companies post-takeover

[Ostap]

After the takeover, editorial control of traditional media outlets could be handed to moderates from the same political party as the previous publisher. This would be to emphasise that political disagreement on policy is healthy in a democracy, while spewing fake news is the opposite. For social media companies post-takeover, users could have a direct say in implementing guidelines.

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/economics-and-finance/we-should-all-own-twitter

Hello. What part of speech is "post-takeover" in the sentence above?

 

[jutfrank]

Forget about parts of speech and focus on the meaning and grammatical function.

Think about what post-takeover actually means in the context and then you'll be better able to work out what it's doing in the sentence.

 

[Ostap]

I can't make sense of post-takeover and how it works in the context. Maybe "companies" is a sort of adejctive modifying "companies"? But a plural word can't be an adjective.

 

[emsr2d2]

Maybe "companies" is a sort of adjective modifying "companies"?

What does that mean?

 

[teechar]

I can't make sense of post-takeover

post = after (the)
It's typically used with some important event/milestone.
For example,
post-war Europe
post-pandemic air travel

 

[Ostap]

What does that mean?

Sorry, I meant "companies" (or rather "social media companies") modifying "post-takeover".

post = after (the)
It's typically used with some important event/milestone.
For example,
post-war Europe
post-pandemic air travel

Yes, I understand the meaning of the word, but not how it works in the sentence.

In other words, the grammar of the sentence is obscure to me. What does the "for" at the beginning even mean?

 

[Tarheel]

The word "For" is used in an ordinary way.

For media companies post-takeover - Regarding media companies after the takeover

If I would say "What does that even mean?" I wouldn't mean it as a question, but I think you did mean it that way.

 

[Ostap]

If I would say "What does that even mean?" I wouldn't mean it as a question, but I think you did mean it that way.

I did, I meant to emphasize my confusion.

For media companies post-takeover - Regarding media companies after the takeover

As I understand now, "social media companies" does modify "post-takeover". I guess the hyphened "social-media-companies post-takeover" would be more correct, am I right?

 

[5jj]

No. "Post-takeover" modifies 'social media companies'.

 

[Ostap]

No. "Post-takeover" modifies 'social media companies'.

Is "post-takeover" a postpositive adjective here?

 

[Tarheel]

'What does that even mean?" is a derisory comment. Its a way of saying "That doesn't make sense!" or "You're off your rocker!" While it takes the form of a question, it is not a question. There are many other real life examples of this (things that take the form of a question but are not questions).

Are you nuts?
Are you crazy?
Are you off your rocker?

All of those take the form of a question but are not questions. The speaker is not seeking information but is expressing incredulity.

 

[5jj]

Is "post-takeover" a postpositive adjective here?

No. I think my earlier answer was incorrect.

I now think 'post takeover' (without a hyphen) is a preposition phrase functioning adverbially.

 

[jutfrank]

I now think 'post takeover' (without a hyphen) is a preposition phrase functioning adverbially.

Me too. It loosely translates as something like 'in a post-takeover world'.