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In my book I found this sentence...

Ａさんの健康に関して、特にその食事に関しての心配が、Ａさんの心も家族の心をも蝕んでいるのだ。

I understand the sentence, but I had no idea such a particle combination was possible... could someone please explain it to me? Is this common?

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    By the way, you can find をも in a dictionary, such as 大辞林.
    – user1478
    Commented Nov 16, 2013 at 3:55

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I am surprised that you appear to find the combination unusual. も gets attached to another particle very often. It is more than common.　

The sentence is saying that Ａさんの健康に関して、特にその食事に関しての心配 undermines two things -- Ａさんの心 and 家族の心. It undermines not only A's mental health but also the whole family's. This も is to emphasize the last item on the list.

Other examples of "Particle + も"

「田中さんはアメリカの色々な地域へ行ったことがある。カリフォルニアやニューヨークはもちろん、南部へも行ったことがある。」

「佐藤さんにはきれいな奥さんがいる。私にもいる。」

「山田さんや池田さんとゲームをしたことがある。シュワルツネッガーさんともある。」

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    I can understand the confusion. It's not as common as the other variations, and when learning Japanese we are (usually?) taught that も replaces を
    – ssb
    Commented Nov 13, 2013 at 9:37
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    @ssb Maybe an answer could usefully describe when を is omitted before も, and when it makes sense to use both together.
    – user1478
    Commented Nov 13, 2013 at 9:52
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    That would be great Snailboat! Seriously! Japanese is taught as if no one who learns it ever seeks to go beyond basic basic sentences.... Lack of foresight leads to stuff like this happening to me sooo often! "NEVER EVER DO THIS!!!!! " 3 years later "Oh yeah of course you can do this! I'm surprised you think you can't!"
    – Nathan
    Commented Nov 13, 2013 at 12:13
  • Also thankyou Tokyo for your answer, but I of course knew you could mix particles like へ and に with は and も... but I was told never under any circumstance to mix を with another particle, and only to replace it.
    – Nathan
    Commented Nov 13, 2013 at 12:36
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    Speaking of を+another particle. Is をは ever acceptable? I've never seen or heard it and the "rule" I know is that は absorbs を, just like も is supposed to absorb を, but then of course it doesn't always... Oh, and of course が+も=も, at least according to the "usual rule". So, is がも ever acceptable?
    – Earthliŋ ♦
    Commented Nov 14, 2013 at 1:15

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