apostrophe

[squarebear]

While in Marks & Spencer's over the weekend, I saw a sign saying

"Women's mac's half price".

My wife thought that there should be an apostrophe in "mac's" as it was plural rather than possessive. I said there should be, as it was an abbreviation of "mackintoshes".

Who is correct?

[ChuckFickens]

I'd say that you are correct in saying an apostrophe is appropriate due to it being an abbreviation.

I'd also be willing to bet that the person who wrote the sign got it correct more through luck than judgement and they were probably misusing the apostrophe for a plural

[ladyalex]

Do you mean that your wife thought that there should NOT be an apostrophe ?

I'm rater inclined to agree with your wife if you did , though I can see where you're coming from as regards the abbreviation.

They would have bee better to have written:
Women's raincoats half price


Or is this a wind up ?

[squarebear]

Sorry yes, my wife thought there should NOT be one.

No it is not a wind up, just me being dragged round the shops and staring into space.

[hellywelly4]

I don't think there should be one as it's not possessive. Please correct me O brainy ones as it is a grey area.

[mrs.chappie]

Just get your wallet out and buy her a flippin' raincoat. :o)

[joggerjayne]

Yo, square ... homey dude.

=0)

I agree with Chuck.

Technically correct, as it's an abbreviation of "macintosh" ...

... but probably more luck than judgment.

HOWEVER ...

If there was ONLY ONE LEFT, and it was half price, then it would be correct so have said that the last mac's half price (a contraction of "mac is").

x

[squarebear]

I thought it might have been a failcake jj ;-)
It was a proper printed sign, not one that a sixteen year old Saturday worker had knocked up.

If I were to describe the pockets of these raincoats would I say:

"mac's's pockets?" :-S

[joggerjayne]

Surely just ...

mac's' pockets ?

[ladyalex]

I suspect it should be mac's' pockets as the mac's in question are plural ...

[Old_Geezer]

I'd not have put one in because I'd consider mac to now be the word used, whether it used to be an abbreviation or not. But I can see the argument the other way.

[NazNomad]

maybe they only had one mac for sale?

[Quizmonster]

There should be NO apostrophe in macs here; it is a simple plural, despite the fact that mac is an abbreviation. In the 'mac' form, it is an independent word in Chambers Dictionary and in the 'mack' form, it is an independent word in The Oxford English Dictionary.

[hellywelly4]

That's what I thought, Quizmonster. Does that also apply to things like CDs, Videos. I wouldn't put an apostrophe in those, but am never 100% sure.

[cupid04]

where is markrae when you need him?

[snags]

'' "Women's mac's half price" ''

squarebear... regardless of the correct use of the apostrophes, did you get yourself one?

[Old_Geezer]

I don't because I believe it is neither logical nor consistent. But I believe I read somewhere that the power that be (whoever they are) decree you should.

[Quizmonster]

CDs should be exactly as you wrote it, Helly...ie with no apostrophe. It used to be 40/50 years ago, that such pluralised acronyms would be written WITH apostrophes. For example, "Three QC's represented him at trial" or "There are five MA's on the school staff." Nowadays, however, they are generally omitted, except where their absence might cause confusion. For example, "There are four i's in Mississippi." If that had no apostrophe, it might be read as four is.

[hellywelly4]

Thanks, Quizmonster. Sorry to hijack your question Squarebear. Not good manners, I apologise.

[MarkRae]

The abbreviation argument is nonsensical. You don't put an apostrophe in the plural of mac just because it is an abbreviation of the plural of macintosh - by that argument, you would have to put an apostrophe at the end of the singular noun too.

E.g. "The woman was wearing her mac' because it was raining" is incorrect.

Therefore, by extension, "Women's mac's half price" is incorrect for exactly the same reason.

[Mamyalynne]

Well I find it disgraceful that this fine establishment is using abbreviations, what next? A sale on Women's Knick's??