characteristics of two

[musicgold]

Hi,

I read the following lines in a book. I am confused with respect to the underlined word. I don’t understand why the author used it instead of ‘the two skeletons’.

Towards the end of their stay, the researchers came upon three human skeletons that had been elaborately buried. The characteristics of two matched those of Austronesian people known to have sailed the waters of Polynesia more than 10,000 years ago.

Thanks,

MG.

[Bridget]

The characteristics of two (of those skeletons) matched those of Austronesian people known to have sailed the waters of Polynesia more than 10,000 years ago.

[Marius Hancu]

The original is OK, perhaps a bit too terse.

You have an ellipsis for of them/of the skeletons:

The characteristics of two (of them/of the skeletons) matched those of Austronesian people known to have sailed the waters of Polynesia more than 10,000 years ago.

[MrPedantic]

Hi,

I read the following lines in a book. I am confused with respect to the underlined word. I don’t understand why the author used it instead of ‘the two skeletons’.

Towards the end of their stay, the researchers came upon three human skeletons that had been elaborately buried. The characteristics of two matched those of Austronesian people known to have sailed the waters of Polynesia more than 10,000 years ago.

Thanks,

MG.

If on the other hand the original had been:

1. Towards the end of their stay, the researchers came upon two human skeletons that...

"the characteristics of two" would indeed have been puzzling.

Best wishes,

MrP

[OddThomas]

Yes, in this case "two" acts as a pronoun.

[musicgold]

Thanks a lot folks.