does anyone need another example of positive ANYMORE?

Benjamin Barrett gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM
Thu Feb 14 04:00:38 UTC 2008


Because it's short for the Marshall's (or Marshalls') residence. I
think, for example, we write, "I'm going to watch TV on the Marshall's
big screen", not "Marshalls' big screen". That's why I always thought
this was a special case of the singular apostrophe.

Your example of "Bruces's" certainly seems like as close as you can get
to a legitimate use of adding one -s for plural and one for possession.

FWIW, the sign on the door to Benedict's suite says, "da Pope's" <g>. BB

RonButters at AOL.COM wrote:
> In a message dated 2/13/08 10:28:31 PM, gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM writes:
>
>
>
>> Should it be "the Marshalls' (residence)"? I thought this was a special
>> usage of the singular apostrophe. I wonder if you'd see " Bobs' " for a
>> same- or opposite-sex couple with the same first name, LOL. BB
>>
>>
>
> Or "The Bruces's"--though of course couples usually do not have the same
> name: "The Heath-Stewards'"?
>
> But why any apostrophe at all? The Marshalls' WHAT? Why not just "The
> Marshalls," "The Bruces," "The Heath-Stewards"? Do people who live alone use
> apostrophes?
>
> Does the pope have a sign that says, "The Pope's"?
>

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org



More information about the Ads-l mailing list