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Of a "something", Why does "Of" can be used here and how to use it?

English Language & Usage Asked by Chrissy Chien on December 4, 2020

"Most of the articles in the magazine are of a didactic nature."

There is a "Of" put before "a didactic nature"

Why does "Of" can be used here, and how to apply this sctuture to other sentence?

3 Answers

Definition #10 in Merriam Webster gives this:

10 — used as a function word to indicate a characteristic or distinctive quality or possession: a woman of courage

So of can be used to describe the attributes of a person, similar to how it can be used to describe the attributes or components of an object - "heart of gold", "nerves of steel", etc.

Correct answer by Avner Shahar-Kashtan on December 4, 2020

Interesting question. Never considered it before so my answer will be partial, Others will probably add to it usefully.

The construction is common. ... are of a didactic nature = ... have a didactic nature. Another example is He is of a persuasive manner = he has a persuasive manner.

There is also I am of a mind to retire = "I have a mind (or thought, notion, inclination) to retire" => I am thinking of retiring

Answered by Anton on December 4, 2020

In a comment John Lawler wrote:

Of is the default preposition used to link two nouns together, when one is felt to be needed. It can indicate possession, partitive, or some other property; or it can be governed by a particular noun, or a particular nominalization. For instance, the shooting of the hunters can mean either that the hunters shot, or that they were shot. But the shooting of the hunters by the soldiers is unambiguous, because grammar: when nominalizing a transitive clause like the soldiers shot the hunters, the subject takes by and the object takes of, no matter what.

Answered by tchrist on December 4, 2020

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