Editing an ambiguously read sentence

Обсуждение книг на английском языке, домашнее чтение, правила чтения на английском языке. Развитие письменной речи. Эссе, деловое письмо и другие виды письменных работ.

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VictorB
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#1

Сообщение VictorB »

Here's the sentence which I'm thinking over:
Tom would have liked to talk to Jack before he left for Spain, but his wife didn't let him do it.
Outside the context, doesn't it read ambiguous?

So, how can it be rewritten to leave no questions about (1) who was leaving for Spain, (2) whose wife didn't let (3) whom to talk (4) to whom?
Before he left for Spain, Tom would have liked to talk to Jack, but his wife didn't let him do it.
Before Tom left for Spain, Jack would have liked to talk to him, but his wife didn't let him do it .
To me, these sentences don't seem to be solving the problem of identifying the one married to the woman.
Besides, it's also still unclear who wasn't allowed to talk to the other.

That said, I don't see any other way of putting it than using a possessive form of the men's names.
Before he left for Spain, Tom would have liked to talk to Jack, but Tom's wife didn't let him do it.
Before Tom left for Spain, Jack would have liked to talk to him, but Jack's wife didn't let him do it .
But again, the question of who's the one she didn't allow to talk to the other, would remain unanswered unless I made "him" "her husband".
Before he left for Spain, Tom would have liked to talk to Jack, but Tom's wife didn't let her husband do it.
Before Tom left for Spain, Jack would have liked to talk to him, but Jack's wife didn't let her husband do it.
Or are there other, better ways of putting it?
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acapnotic
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#2

Сообщение acapnotic »

To me the wife is cleary Tom's. And who left for Spain could be clarified with a gerund. "Tom would have liked to talk to Jack before leaving for Spain..." If it were Jack's wife, I think the speaker would say "Jack's".
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VictorB
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Chaika
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#3

Сообщение Chaika »

First a minor fix:
Before Tom left for Spain, Jack would have liked to talk to him, but Jack's wife wouldn't let him.
Don't use "do it" in AmE, I don't know about BrE. Also I would prefer "wouldn't" over "didn't".

Before Tom left for Spain, Jack would have liked to talk to him, but his wife wouldn't let him.
Jack's wife. "his" would refer to the nearest proper noun and action verb. If Tom's wife were preventing the talk, I would say "but Tom's wife wouldn't let him."
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#4

Сообщение VictorB »

Chaika пишет: 17 окт 2021, 20:49 "his" would refer to the nearest proper noun and action verb.
+1
Chaika,
Thank you ever so much.
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