Klarinet Archive - Posting 000336.txt from 2000/12

From: "Tim Roberts" <timr@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: The Definitive Answer: Apostrophes
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000 15:06:54 -0500

On Wed, 06 Dec 2000 01:02:21 -0800, Gary Truesdail <gir@-----.net> wrote:
>
>The mystery of the 'Apostrophes' has been solved. Make of it as you will.
>
>Check out this site:
>http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_apost.html

There is one aspect of this that is definitely NOT definitive. As someone
whose last name ends in "s", I can assure you that there is essentially no
agreement on whether you should write "Tim Roberts' clarinet" or "Tim
Roberts's clarinet". I learned it the latter way, and it caused a heated
discussion with my daughter's 5th grade teacher.

Strunk and White's "Elements of Style" clearly says Roberts's.

Devries "Writer's Style Guide" says Roberts's unless the resulting word is
hard to pronounce, then use Roberts'. For example, she suggests "Jesus'
birth".

The Bowie State University style guide says the choice is personal
preference. That's probably the most accurate assessment.

The well-respected Chicago Manual of Style says Roberts's.

The equally well-respected AP Style Guide says Roberts'.

The Editor's Guide for Church Newsletters says Roberts'.

The following article by grammar curmudgeon James Kilpatrick sums up the
current thinking on this topic:

http://www.uexpress.com/ups/opinion/column/jk/text/1999/05/jk9905026998.html

--
- Tim Roberts, timr@-----.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org