[Vocabulary] Thereof

BlackMax said:

Hello, it's me again.
I'd like to ask whether the word thereof can serve as an ultimate substitude for of it. In particular, is it possible to say command thereof or knowledge thereof? Thanks.

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bhaisahab said:

It would depend on context, but "knowledge thereof" is fine.

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BlackMax said:

Then, could you please specify some cases when it's incorrect to replace of it with thereof?

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BobK said:

If you take 'context' as I do, to include the situation surrounding the utterance, then substituting 'thereof' for 'of it' would be inappropriate in most informal contexts. If I said to MrsK 'Let's dish the curry up in the kitchen and proceed to the consumption thereof while we're watching CSI' she would be most surprised - though not very, as she knows me ;-). 'Thereof' is intrinsically formal.

b

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