LKL's Blog

6 comments

1. Matt

   said on 14 June 2007 at 7:07 pm:
   Permalink1

   Oh, goodness, yes. It still amazes me, even though I should have become accustomed to it long

   ago, how often apostrophe-s is misused, even by educated professionals. A couple of years ago,

   I saw what remains one of my favorites: some company’s truck with the slogan “QUALITY AT IT’S

   BEST” emblazoned on the side.

2. Mags

   said on 16 June 2007 at 6:36 am:
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   This is one of my pet hates!

   The mis-use of the apostrophe is getting worse and worse! Sometimes it would appear that

   people just put it in whenever there is an S at the end of a word. For example, “ice cream’s

   sold here”, salad’s, shoe’s, etc, etc, In some ways, I blame the computer (marvellous though

   it is), as it does not always recognise the proper use of the apostrophe. I doesn’t like

   “its” and wants to put in “it’s” everytime!
   Yep, I could rant about this all day….., but

   I won’t!

3. Don DuBois

   said on 26 June 2007 at 3:32 am:
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   Laura,

   What about the

   possesive case where the noun ends in an s such as
   “Davis’ toys” where Davis is one person?

   That appears to be an
   exception to the rule that only a plural possesive ends in s

   apostrophe.

   Then there is the situation which involves a proper name that ends in s such

   as the Cleveland Browns [football team]. Does one write
   “the Browns’ ranking” or, is it

   ever correct to write “the Browns’s ranking”?

   Is there ever a case where it’s OK to

   have a noun ending in s apostrophe s (… s’s) ?

   Don

   P.S. Re your husbanb’s

   recent computer malfunctions etc. , does the Bermuda Triangle’s effects extend down to Costa

   Rica? Or has
   April 1st come late to that part of the world and you’re having a little

   fun with us? I remember when you had me believing you a few years ago on April 1st that the

   Academie Francaise had redefined some aspects of the French language to make it easier to learn

   by foreigners.

4. lklawless

   said on 27 June 2007 at 4:34 pm:
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   Those are good questions, Don. I’ll get back to you. (I admit that I’m tempted to write

   Davis’s, but that can’t be right.)

   Nope, no April foolery here – the computer has

   something to say, but we just can’t crack the code.

5. Don DuBois

   said on 30 June 2007 at 4:30 pm:
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   The Elements of Style (Strunk)

   says this about singlular possesive nouns
   (pg. 1):

   Form the possessive singular of

   nouns by adding ‘s.

   Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus

   write:

   Charles’s friend
   Burns’s poems.
   the witch’s malice

   Exceptions are

   the possessives of ancient proper names in -es and -is,
   the possessive Jesus’, and such

   forms as for conscience’ sake, for righteousness’ sake. But such forms as Moses’ laws,

   Isis’ temple are commonly replaced by

   the laws of Moses
   the emple of Isis

   The

   pronominal possessives hers, its, theirs, yours and ours have no
   apostrophe. Indefinite

   pronouns, however, use the apostrophe to show
   possession.

   one’s rights
   somebody

   else’s umbrella

   A common error is to write it’s for its, or vice versa. The first is

   a contraction, meaning “it is”. The second is a possessive.

   It’s a wise dog that

   scratches its own fleas.

   ==============

   Unfortunately, Strunk, as far as I can

   tell, does not address the case where the noun refers to a multiplicity of persons, things

   etc.

   Example: the Burns’s family home

   OR, is it

   the Burns’ family

   home?

   Don

6. denbigh

   said on 10 July 2007 at 1:31 pm:
   Permalink6

   surely, Mags – Ice Cream Is

   Sold Here is a bit formal, so why not Ice Cream’s Sold Here ??