Renew <An> Acquaintance<s>

[EricaWW]

If two friends (one male, one female) met again after not seeing each other for a long time, then:

a) "He renewed an acquaintance with her."
b) "He renewed acquaintance with her."
c) "He renewed acquaintances with her."

Which is the grammatically right way to describe this situation?

[Afit]

b

[Bennevis]

Yes, here "acquaintance" is used as an abstract noun, similar to "friendship".

[Barb_D]

Erica, is this a test question, or are you wondering how to say something like this in real life?

I would not say any of those. He renewed HIS acquaintance with her, perhaps, but only if that construction was the only choice.

In real life, you'd say "They got caught up."

[EricaWW]

I saw several (many) different uses of "acquaintance" and therefore many forms of "acquaintance" (countable and uncountable). I was just curious as to which form to use for this example. The dictionaries that I have confuse me more.

[Barb_D]

Acquaintance as a count noun is someone you know, but not well enough to be a friend: He ran into an acquaintance while on his walk and they had an enjoyable conversation about a concert they had both been to.

You can renew acquaintances, when people have not seen each other in a while. But note that it's plural. And formal.

You can renew your acquaintance with someone or something.

I would simply never say "I renewed acquaintance with her." (Singular, and without a determiner.)

This is all American usage that I'm familiar with. It's very possible that it's used differently eleswhere.

[Bennevis]

It's possible.

After a break from Menard in 1935, however, he was transferred to Joliet, where he renewed acquaintance with Touhy.

Federal Bureau of Investigation - FBI History - Famous Cases


After two years he was still applying in vain for positions at Launceston, so he went to Port Phillip where he renewed acquaintance with Charles La Trobe, to whom he had been introduced by Lord Kinnaird in London.

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/dana...-pulteney-1952

[5jj]

It's possible.

It may be possible, but this BrE speaker is in agreement with Barb - "I would simply never say "I renewed acquaintance with her." (Singular, and without a determiner.)"

[Bennevis]

EricaWW, I'm not a native speaker. I simply responded to your inquiry. Where did you get this? Was it taken from a reliable textbook? Out of those 3, the only possible option is the 2nd one. It's an abstract noun.