Community Chat

[jonbon]

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@Porcelain wrote:

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@jonbon wrote:

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@Porcelain wrote:

If multiple Smiths: The Smiths or The Smiths' House.

If one Smith then, I guess: The Smith or The Smith's House.

Right?

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Sure, but who would refer to him/herself as "The Smith"? One would most likely either use a title of some sort, like Mr. or Ms., or just put the last name (Smith) with no article.

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I agree. But if I saw "Smith" on a house, I guess I'd actually it was a sign indicating the location for the Village Smithy. Or maybe that the owner named their home Smith, just for fun.

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OK, Jones.

[candyagain]

It seems that one of the modern mysteries of life is "it's" or "its".

[noodleann]

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@candyagain wrote:

It seems that one of the modern mysteries of life is "it's" or "its".

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And don't forget its', something I'm seeing more often these days. It's as if the writer says to himself, 'I'm using it as a possessive but I know it's not a contraction, so I can't do "it's," but I better get an apostrophe in there somewhere. If it's possessive, it HAS to have an apostrophe, so I'll tack it on at the end.'

I say "himself" because the writer in question was an unrenounced male.

[shoesnbags]

I SO enjoyed reading this thread. You are all my people. We teach apostrophes in 2nd grade, for Pete’s sake. 

[froggy]

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@Imaoldhippie wrote:

Good grief this is one of the most idiotic things I have ever heard, and I thought I dont have a life.

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I love grammar and punctuation discussions.

You'd better hope no one starts a thread on the Oxford comma!

[chrystaltree]

Well, there goes Western civilization!  It's all over now.    

[magicmoodz]

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@ms traditional wrote:

@magicmoodz 

per example below  i would say plural of Ries is Rieses and possessive is Rieses' --

The plural of Jones is Joneses, ‐es being added as an indicator of the plurality of a word of which the singular form ends in s, as in dresses or messes. The apposition of the much misused apostrophe to the word Jones does not make it plural.

but unfortunately we can't double check with the Apostrophe Protection Society!

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@magicmoodz wrote:

@haddon9 

How would you handle a name that ends in "s"?

Example: Ries

This has always confused me and I am more likely to use "Ries family".

Thank you for a punctuation lesson!

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@ms traditional 

Thank you. Yes, you are correct. To my eyes, it seems awkward and I find comfort in writing Ries family, or friends or any word that eliminates having to add the dreaded "es". 😄

[Shawnie]

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@Hippiified wrote:

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@Foxxee wrote:

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@Shawnie wrote:

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@jonbon wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

I never knew that such a society existed!  LOL!

I sell personalized signs on Etsy.  Often someone will order a sign from me asking for an apostrophe to be placed near the end of a last name to pluralize it.  I try to very nicely explain that the apostrophe at the end of a name should be used as either a singular  or a plural possessive which determines where the apostrophe is placed (usually before or after the "s").  It's not for plualizing a name.  This falls on deaf ears.

So many times they will just tell me that they think it "looks right" with the apostrophe.  Here's an example..... "The Smith's wish you a Merry Christmas!"...ugh!

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Yes! My sister-in-law (who is a smart lady) used to do this on their Christmas cards. Also, there is a group of neighbors not far from me who have "matching" Christmas decorations. Each home has a sign out front which says, "The Smith's" or "The Olson's" etc. Drives me crazy! I told my husband that one night, under cover of darkness, I'm going to go around with some white paint and paint over all of the apostrophes! 

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Hmmm.  If the signs imply a possessive then aren't the signs correct, aka The Smith's (House)?

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@Shawnie 

That's an interesting point. I can see how some could see it that way.  

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The apostrophe should be after the s, not before!

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I need a grammar book, lol.  after because you see the family name as a plural possessive?  The Dog's House or The Dogs' House.  

[jonbon]

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@Shawnie wrote:

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@Hippiified wrote:

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@Foxxee wrote:

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@Shawnie wrote:

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@jonbon wrote:

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@haddon9 wrote:

I never knew that such a society existed!  LOL!

I sell personalized signs on Etsy.  Often someone will order a sign from me asking for an apostrophe to be placed near the end of a last name to pluralize it.  I try to very nicely explain that the apostrophe at the end of a name should be used as either a singular  or a plural possessive which determines where the apostrophe is placed (usually before or after the "s").  It's not for plualizing a name.  This falls on deaf ears.

So many times they will just tell me that they think it "looks right" with the apostrophe.  Here's an example..... "The Smith's wish you a Merry Christmas!"...ugh!

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Yes! My sister-in-law (who is a smart lady) used to do this on their Christmas cards. Also, there is a group of neighbors not far from me who have "matching" Christmas decorations. Each home has a sign out front which says, "The Smith's" or "The Olson's" etc. Drives me crazy! I told my husband that one night, under cover of darkness, I'm going to go around with some white paint and paint over all of the apostrophes! 

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Hmmm.  If the signs imply a possessive then aren't the signs correct, aka The Smith's (House)?

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@Shawnie 

That's an interesting point. I can see how some could see it that way.  

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The apostrophe should be after the s, not before!

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I need a grammar book, lol.  after because you see the family name as a plural possessive?  The Dog's House or The Dogs' House.  

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That's a different case entirely, unless more than one dog is living in the doghouse. Yes, if one dog lives there, The Dog's House. But the noun "dog" can use the definite article "the," and one wouldn't use that for one person named Smith (The Smith? no).

[Hippiified]

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@Lisa now in AZ wrote:

The apostrophe after the 's' is only when the last name ends with an 's.' Smith does not end with an 's', so the apostrophe should be Smith's, as written, if you are implying ownership of the house. If it were The Jones', then the apostrophe comes aftetr the 's.'

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@Lisa now in AZ 

It was assumed in that example that the Smith was plural, hence the s. Then the apostrophe for possessive should follow that.