FR: certains peinent à contenir des/leurs larmes

[cjf85]

Bonjour!
in this sentence certains peinent à contenir des larmes. why is it des larmes
and not leurs or les larmes.
thank you in advance
cjf

 

[newg]

Personally, I would say it is:

certains peinent à contenir leurs larmes.
It sounds much better, I think. Where did you read this sentence?

 

[cjf85]

Hi newg
Thank you for your reply, I would say that too! I got it from le figaro.
cjf

 

[ThéophileErnoult]

Oui, on met bien leurs!

 

[Maître Capello]

There is a slight nuance for me:

Certains peinent à contenir des larmes. → a few / some tears
Certains peinent à contenir leurs larmes. → most probably many tears

 

[Nem'o]

Generally speaking, I would say "leurs larmes" too; yet, sometimes, when the context is precise enough, "des larmes" can be used:
certains peinent à retenir des larmes de joie.

Or maybe the journalist just wanted to take a detached style...

 

[Enquiring Mind]

Seems to me it's the same difference as in English:
Some find it hard to hold back tears.
Some find it hard to hold back their tears.