Which word "their" refers to?

[KLPNO]

Hello everyone,

I'd like to ask about the meaning of "so" in the following context:

Of the three brilliant stars of the Sirius system, only one remains in the physical realm, as you understand it from the three-dimensional perspective. This celestial fire is referred to in your scientific communities as "Sirius A." We Sirians know it as the deity, Sothis, and so it has been recognized by the ancient Egyptians, who knew so much about our civilizations and their own starseed linkage to us.

Does "their" refer to "our civilizations" or does it refer to "ancient Egyptians"?

 

[BobK]

I'm not sure what 'starseed linkage' is meant to mean, but I think the 'their' refers to the Egyptians, who believed in a direct link between them (specifically, the pyramids and people/things associated with them) and the stars.

b

 

[KLPNO]

I'm not sure what 'starseed linkage' is meant to mean, but I think the 'their' refers to the Egyptians, who believed in a direct link between them (specifically, the pyramids and people/things associated with them) and the stars.

b

Thank you very much, BobK.

 

[KLPNO]

It most probably refers to the ancient Egyptians, as judged from the context.

Thank you very much, taja609.

 

[BobK]

Hello everyone,

I'd like to ask about the meaning of "so" in the following context:

Of the three brilliant stars of the Sirius system, only one remains in the physical realm, as you understand it from the three-dimensional perspective. This celestial fire is referred to in your scientific communities as "Sirius A." We Sirians know it as the deity, Sothis, and so it has been recognized by the ancient Egyptians, who knew so much about our civilizations and their own starseed linkage to us.

Does "their" refer to "our civilizations" or does it refer to "ancient Egyptians"?

I missed your first question. There are two instances of so, but I imagine you mean the first - which you rightly recognize as contentious. ;-)

At first glance it looks like a straightforward subordinating conjunction (as in 'It was his birthday and so he had Coco Pops instead of Corn Flakes'). In this case, though, it is not a conjunction but refers back to 'as the deity, Sothis': "the ancient Egyptians recognized it as Sothis, in the same way [=so] as we do." This is a quite old-fashioned use of so; a more contemporary (but less elegant) way of putting it would be ' We Sirians know it as the deity, Sothis, and it has been recognized as such by the ancient Egyptians...'

b

 

[KLPNO]

I missed your first question. There are two instances of so, but I imagine you mean the first - which you rightly recognize as contentious. ;-)

At first glance it looks like a straightforward subordinating conjunction (as in 'It was his birthday and so he had Coco Pops instead of Corn Flakes'). In this case, though, it is not a conjunction but refers back to 'as the deity, Sothis': "the ancient Egyptians recognized it as Sothis, in the same way [=so] as we do." This is a quite old-fashioned use of so; a more contemporary (but less elegant) way of putting it would be ' We Sirians know it as the deity, Sothis, and it has been recognized as such by the ancient Egyptians...'

b

Thank you very much again, BobK.