When to use the double prepositional structure "с памятью у тебя" rather than "с твоей памятью"?

Question

Вижу, с памятью у тебя стало хуже.

I notice an interesting structure in Russian: Why does it take the dual form of "с памятью у тебя" rather than the more straightforward "с твоей памятью" with a single preposition?

{Literally}: "with the memory at/by/near you"

{instead of}: "with your memory"

The same goes for:

"у него во сне" = "at/by/near him in a dream"

"в его сне" = "in his dream"

I wonder when it is preferable to use these separated structures consisting of two prepositions?

Answer 1

This structure is used in impersonal sentences or with subject being всё/ничего describing state of affairs in some of the aspects of personal life or exhibition of qualities, with phrases (не) всё в порядке / (не) всё гладко / (не) всё ладится / (не) всё слава богу / (не) всё хорошо / (всё) (не)плохо / стало хуже / стало лучше / всё нормально / всё отлично / не очень / неважно / проблемы / без проблем and the like.

Some examples:

1. У меня с учёбой не всё в порядке - Not everything is smooth in my studies

2. C заказами у него всё хорошо - He doesn't have any problems with getting orders

3. Со здоровьем у неё пока неважно, зато с работой наладилось - Her health is still giving her troubles, but she's found work

4. У них не всё гладко c пунктуальностью - They're not very good at being exact on time

I would guess it's a way of getting around the inconvenience or inability to use these adverbs or their adjectival forms directly with the objects.

In English i think a similar structure is used with the words problem(s)/trouble(s) as showcased by example 2.

As far as dreams are concerned i believe it's because in Russian they're perceived not as belonging to a person but as happening to them.

Answer 2

The first version is typically used in expressions defining someone's good or bad memory.

С памятью у тебя всё в порядке. (or C памятью у тебя плохо.)

The second one just refers to someone's good or bad memory which is known or implied to be good or bad.

C твоей памятью можно вслепую играть в шахматы.

С твоей памятью лучше иметь под рукой таблицу умножения.

Answer 3

У тебя, у меня,, у нас, у вас, etc are used almost interchangably with posessive pronouns to indicate 'loose posession':

1. У меня машина сломалась.
2. Моя машина сломалась.

Both mean 'My car broke' and neither (nor even the English translation) implies that you actually own the car. 'My car' could simply mean 'the car I was driving at the moment', even if you rented it.

Conversely, if you say e.g.:

• Это мой кошелек! ('It is my wallet!')

This can't be put as:

• *Это у меня кошелек!

Because мой in this case conveys a strong sense of ownership.