[stylist] grammatical usage of apostrophes

[Donna Hill]

Lori,
There is at least one other apostrophic issue (sorry, couldn't help making
an adjective). When referring to a decade, you can skip the initial "19) and
replace it with an apostrophe, but there is no apostrophy before the s at
the  end. I grew up in the '50s (' 5 0 s) or the 1950s (1 9 5 0 s), but not
the 50's (5 0 ' s) or the 1950's (1 9 5 0 ' s), despite how nicely Jaws says
it. However, when referring to someone's age, the initial apostrophe is not
used because no character is being omitted. So, I'm in my 60s. (6 0 s). Or,
are we supposed to write that one out?
Apostrophically yours, *grin*
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of loristay at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 11:25 AM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: [stylist] grammatical usage of apostrophes

This is a technical answer to a question no one has asked, but it's nagging
to be answered anyway.


Simple plurals do not take apostrophe s.  The apostrophe for the most part
indicates possession or the dropping of a letter.  For example, do not
becomes don't.  But if we are talking about a family, say, the Smiths, then
there is no apostrophe.  Mr. Smith, of the Boston Smiths ( S m i t h s),
will be visiting the New York area shortly.  


In some areas, the possessive is built into the word.  So for example, His
bed means the bed belongs to him, and no apostrophe is necessary.  The bed
is hers--now it belongs to her, but still takes no apostrophe.  The word
"its" (i t s) meaning something belongs to "it" such as -- the dog dropped
its ball--takes no apostrophe.  The apostrophe in the word "it's" (i t ' s)
means that the word is short for "it is."


(apologies ahead to dog lovers who object to the objectification of the
dog.)
Yours grammatically,
Lori
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