the three hour apostrophe argument
In The Apprentice last night, they were arguing where the apostrophe should be in:
HAPPY SINGLES DAY
note: I have omitted it on purpose:)
Do you think there should be one and if so, where?
crisgal Thurs 01/05/08 17:01
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I was sat saying to my boyfriend I don't think there is one and if I was them and wasn't sure I would have left it out all together instead of arguing about it for 3 hours!!!
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Would it be singles' day? Because it wouldn't be single's, because that would be single IS! *lol*
What a minefield punctuation is.
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Question Author
I don't think there should be one either.
Like you say, if in doubt - leave it out!
What a bunch of muppets!
I hear next week they have to organise a p1ss up in a brewery! Wonder how they'll get on?!
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If there is supposed to be one i'd leave it out. It looks fine just as 'singles'.
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If it was like Father's Day or Mother's Day then I'd say there should be one but if singles as plural not.
3 hours though...!!!
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its single's as in the day is belonding to them isnt it?
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The Mothers Day case is exactly the same problem:
See here, from: http://www.betterwritingskills.com/newsletters /2005-05.txt
"Mothers Day", "Mother's Day" or "Mothers' Day"?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Well it's Mothers Day in many countries this coming Sunday, so now seems like the perfect time to ask the burning question: Does "Mothers Day" need an apostrophe, and -- if so -- where does it go?
Ask any group of people that question. After the bickering stops, the combatants will have settled into three camps. Let's look at all three in turn.
Choice 1. Mothers Day:
The argument here is that mothers do not own the day, so no possession is involved; thus, no apostrophe is needed. We are describing a day *for* mothers.
Choice 2. Mother's Day:
Here the argument is that the day belongs to one specific mother (yours presumably). So, because possession is involved, "Mother's Day" needs an apostrophe before the "s".
Choice 3. Mothers' Day:
Here the argument is that the day belongs to all mothers
collectively; thus, we need an apostrophe after the "s".
And the winner is?
So, which is it? Well, let me stress that you can make a
reasonable case for all three of the choices, so it comes down to whether you think that ownership is involved or not.
In British English there is an increasing tendency to omit
apostrophes when "for" is implied rather than "of" or "belonging to".
An increasing number of editors of British English publications are thus opting for choice one (no apostrophe) arguing that Mothers Day is a day *for* mothers, not a day belonging to mothers.
US usage, however, seems to
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. . . seems to what? cancross
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The word 'single' is now a noun as well as an adjective...ie we can refer to someone unmarried as "a single" as well as saying, "He/she is single." Accordingly, there is also a plural noun, 'singles' and anything they possess or is arraged for them would use singles with an apostrophe after the 's'...ie "singles' day" just as we'd say "dogs' tails" or "girls' schoolbags" or "desperate housewives' problems".
Apostrophe definitely after the 's'.
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Question Author
We have this debate every year at school, when the children are making Mothers Day cards. I have never received such a card that has an apostrophe!
Is it not that, as quizmonster says, single and singles are nouns and as such the day the card celebrates is called "singles".
Therefore the apostrophe is not needed. It's the just the name of the day - like Christmas Day. it would be The day That Is Called Singles and not the day belonging to singles.
Does anyone know what I mean?
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I'm afraid I can't be bothered to have an opinion.
There are so many important things in this world, but this isn't one of them.
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Question Author
..and yet you can be bothered to answer?
How very odd!
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Question Author
well there you go. At least we agree on something!
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Crisgal, yes, 'Christmas' ends with an 's', but it isn't a plural, is it? As such, it is no different from 'May Day' which we celebrated yesterday, so the question of an apostrophe doesn't arise.
On the other hand, most schools have "Parents' evenings"...note the s-apostrophe, which is certainly how I would write it. These evenings are arranged especially for parents...ie they efectively belong to the parents. Similarly, I would write "Mothers' Day", as the day 'belongs' to all mothers....it's their day. A father might say to his daughter and her fiancé on the eve of their wedding-day, "Tomorrow's yourr big day!" He wouldn't say, "Tomorrow's you big day!"
However, as Panic suggests, the world ain't gonna end whether you use the apostrophe or not.
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Obviously, I was thinking of a Scottish father in my response above...hence the double-r in what should have been 'your'! Sorry.
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