A Question for the Grammar Nazis?

[irul&ublo]

Is it proper to use an apostrophe at the end of a noun ending in s or z to indicate plural when it's not the posessive form?

Ex.: It was sent to the Collins'.

[f2f]

you're using an apostrophe to indicate a plural?

the correct plural for Collins is Collinses. the possessive is Collinses'.

the apostrophe is used to indicate a plural only for things like years (90's) or single-letter abbreviations (A's and B's) but even then it's unnecessary as there's no ambiguity. As and Bs and 90s are just as good.

relevant:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostro...ertain_plurals

[TurxSki]

I vaguely remember that in English/english, if a word ends in an s already, rather than add another s to indicate a plural, you use the apostrophe.
It might only be for people's names, or something...
Mr A Collins and his brother B Collins are coming over...so here are the Collins' (pronounced Colinzis)
This may be wrong as I just used both my brain cells at the same time...

[Sirshredalot]

Turx, you are wrong.

[Steven S. Dallas]

Is it proper to use an apostrophe at the end of a noun ending in s or z to indicate plural when it's not the posessive form?

Ex.: It was sent to the Collins'.

It's proper if "Collins" is a modifier. So "it was sent to the Collins' house" is okay, but if you are just referring to Mr. and Mrs. Collins then it's better to say "it was sent to the Collinses."

[TurxSki]

Hmn. Ok. Thanks.
Not plurals? But ownership?
Are you sure I'm not just using an accepted liturgical archaism?

I know that a Farmers' Market is different to a Farmers Market, even though they might appear to be the same? Is that even relevant?

The genitive form of many nouns ended with the inflection -es, which evolved into a simple -s for the possessive ending. An apostrophe was later added to mark the omitted e.
If a singular noun ends with an /s/ or a /z/ sound (spelled with -s, -se, -z, -ce, for example), practice varies as to whether to add 's or the apostrophe alone. A widely accepted practice is to follow whichever spoken form is judged better: the boss's shoes, Mrs Jones' hat (or Mrs Jones's hat, if that spoken form is preferred). In many cases, both spoken and written forms differ between writers.
When the noun is a normal plural, with an added s, no extra s is added in the possessive; so pens' caps (where there is more than one pen) is correct rather than pens's caps.

[splat]

I never use an apostrophe when I say I'm going to the Johns.

[JayPowHound]

you're using an apostrophe to indicate a plural?

the correct plural for Collins is Collinses. the possessive is Collinses'.

the apostrophe is used to indicate a plural only for things like years (90's) or single-letter abbreviations (A's and B's) but even then it's unnecessary as there's no ambiguity. As and Bs and 90s are just as good.

relevant:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostro...ertain_plurals

According to my wife (who has a masters from Hahvaad in Engrish and is in the process of phding) this is correct.

[RootSkier]

if you are just referring to Mr. and Mrs. Collins then it's better to say "it was sent to the Collinses."

[irul&ublo]

I think now that f2f is partially right. The plural non possessive would be Collinses. The plural possessive can be shown by an apostrophe following the last s...Collins', or even Collinses'.....no single style appears mandatory. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/possessives.htm

Now as to Splat going to the johns...concurrent use of multiple toilet facilities is quite a trick. I thionk he should sign up for "America's Got Talent".

[TurxSki]

I think this is a set up...
Today is National Punctuation Day!

Celebrate the seventh annual
National Punctuation Day®
September 24, 2010

http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/

[garyfromterrace]

The plural possessive can be shown by an apostrophe following the last s...Collins', or even Collinses'.....no single style appears mandatory. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/possessives.htm

This is what I thought. Having finished high school, I consider myself quite well-informed on matters such as these.

[jm2e]

Yes. You are correct.

[f2f]

"The end came quietly on Aug. 21 on the letters page of The Washington Post. A reader castigated the newspaper for having written that Sasha Obama was the "youngest" daughter of the president and first lady, rather than their "younger" daughter. In so doing, however, the letter writer called the first couple the "Obama's." This, too, was published, constituting an illiterate proofreading of an illiterate criticism of an illiteracy. Moments later, already severely weakened, English died of shame."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...091304476.html

too bad they didn't read this thread first. we've got teh engrish langauge figure all out!

[irul&ublo]

I think this is a set up...
Today is National Punctuation Day!

http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/

Cool holiday, but it doesn't match up with National Steak and Blowjob Day