GalacticCactus Forum

Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: kojabu on December 25, 2006, 08:00:58 PM

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: kojabu on December 25, 2006, 08:00:58 PM

When you have a name that ends in 's' (such as mine - James), where does the apostrophe go? Would it be James's music or James' music?  

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: Porter on December 25, 2006, 09:49:48 PM

I hate apostrophe's too.

I believe it's James' music.

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: rivka on December 25, 2006, 11:11:18 PM

Quote

Would it be James's music or James' music?

Yes. ;)

You will find a fairly even split among style guides on this issue. (And every time we poll Lois' v. Lois's on my Lois&Clark forum, we get an almost perfect split.)

I prefer James'. (And apparently, so does Google Spellcheck.)

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: Tante Shvester on December 26, 2006, 06:24:51 AM

Now, if there is more than one James, and you are talking about their stuff, would it be the Jameses's stuff?  The Jameses' stuff?

I'm having an apostophic fit!

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: kojabu on December 26, 2006, 08:29:04 AM

One of my friends calls me Jameses when he talks to me online.  

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: Icarus on December 26, 2006, 02:19:38 PM

It would be James's music.

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: kojabu on December 26, 2006, 02:33:48 PM

Conflicting answers! *head asplode*

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: Icarus on December 26, 2006, 02:55:27 PM

My work here is done . . .  

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: pooka on December 27, 2006, 06:32:13 PM

There was a whole thread about this on the Hatrack Writer's Workshop.  IIRC, Biblical names like Moses and Jesus have the post-apostrophe but other stuff doesn't.

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: Icarus on December 27, 2006, 08:44:42 PM

That's a bizarre solution.

I stand by my answer.

Title: I hate apostrophes
Post by: Jonathon on December 28, 2006, 01:13:03 PM

As others have already said, different style guides will give different answers. I add an s after the apostrophe according to my pronunciation.