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Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: rivka on August 02, 2006, 02:56:40 PM

Title: Irregular plurals
Post by: rivka on August 02, 2006, 02:56:40 PM

The exception to the no-apostrophes-in-plurals rule, as I understand it, is supposed to be  for numbers and other cases where it might be confusing without the divider.

But what is the plural of Dr. (used as a title)? Clearly, no one at my kids' pediatricians' office knows, as they spelled it differently on each posted notice. They tried

• Dr.'s
• Drs.
• Drs
• Dr's
  and I think there might have been another

(Why they didn't simply write Doctors I do not know.)

What is the correct form(s)?

Title: Irregular plurals
Post by: Jonathon on August 02, 2006, 05:00:29 PM

Chicago says that abbreviations containing no internal periods are pluralized by adding s before the period, which means that it should be "Drs." I'm not sure what other style guides say. However, I'm all for "Doctors."

Title: Irregular plurals
Post by: rivka on August 02, 2006, 05:05:51 PM

I was leaning toward Drs. Nice to know I was not simply pulling that out of . . . well, it wasn't that kind of doctor. ;)

Title: Irregular plurals
Post by: Sheila on August 03, 2006, 05:54:51 AM

Oh, good. I got that one right!

Title: Irregular plurals
Post by: Mr. Anderson on August 03, 2006, 07:29:32 AM

Yay!  I win, too.