[Grammar] Child By/With

[ShirleyLing]

"He has a child by/with her."

Would it be "by" or "with" here?

 

[Rolex_Cellini]

from/with her

They have a child.

 

[ShirleyLing]

I don't mean "taking a child from", so "from" is probably not right.

 

[emsr2d2]

from/with her

They have a child.

"From" is absolutely incorrect. Please remember to state that you are not a teacher/native speaker when attempting to answer.

I would say "She had a baby with him."

 

[ShirleyLing]

So, "He has a child by her" is also incorrect?

 

[Tdol]

No, it's not incorrect- it could be used where someone has had children by different women, for instance.

 

[BobK]

So, "He has a child by her" is also incorrect?

In a sexist quirk of the language, I think a woman can be said to have a child by a man, but I think Tdol's example would sound a bit odd - I'm not sure though...:-?;-)

b

 

[emsr2d2]

In a sexist quirk of the language, I think a woman can be said to have a child by a man, but I think Tdol's example would sound a bit odd - I'm not sure though...:-?;-)

b

I agree.

That woman has had six children by five different men.
That man has had six children with five different women.

The only reason I can think of for it, is that sentence 1 is saying that she was "made pregnant by" five different men.

 

[Tdol]

It is used:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-have-tenth-child-by-ten-different-women.html

However, reading your posts, I do agree that it sounds more natural with by five different men. ;-)

 

[bhaisahab]

737K hits for "has a child from * wife" in Google

That proves nothing except you can't trust google for questions of correct use of language.

 

[bhaisahab]

737K: widely used

Widely used by whom?

 

[bhaisahab]

People maybe?

Do you suppose that these "people" are all native English speakers, or others with a good knowledge of the language?

 

[5jj]

And you please remember I will never do that. My profile clearly states whether I am a native and whether I am a teacher, and I am not willing to round the pointless extra mile just to make you happy. Well, I am a teacher - not of English, though. .

There is a notice at the top of this page that reads (my emphasis added), "You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post."

So are you not willing to round (?) the extra mile to go along with our policy?

Please do not overplay your role in UE. Thanks

Rover is acting in the interests of the forum. If people followed the forum policies, he would not need to waste his time doing this.

 

[BobK]

...

So are you not willing to round (?) the extra mile to go along with our policy?

....

I suppose if he were going the extra mile in an athletics stadium he might;-)

b