1. guamyankee

    guamyankee Active Member

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    Names that end with an S.

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by guamyankee, Feb 24, 2011.

    What's the correct way to write this:

    1. Amos’ face was covered in blood.

    2. Amos’s face was covered in blood.

    I'm not so crazy about either one. I've only shown the relevant part of the sentence though, not the whole thing.

    ***Oops, I should have posted this in spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
     
  2. Paris_Love

    Paris_Love New Member

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    The first one is correct.
     
  3. guamyankee

    guamyankee Active Member

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    Amos and I both thank you.
     
  4. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

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    Avoid, avoid, avoid giving any of your characters a name ending in 's'. It will drive you and the reader crazy after a while.
    The more common punctuation is becoming Amos's in American English, I've noticed (yum! a real plethora of 's's if you use a surname like 'Stephens'), but in British English (at the moment) Amos' is used more frequently.
    Just keep away from the problem and make your life easier. If it's unavoidable, be consistent.
     
  5. guamyankee

    guamyankee Active Member

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    Very good point. I will consider changing the name, or maybe changing the sentence around. The character only makes a couple of appearances.
     
  6. VM80

    VM80 Contributor Contributor

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    The second seems much better to me.
     
  7. Eunoia

    Eunoia Contributor Contributor

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    I think they're both correct, but I would have to go with the first personally.
     
  8. Gannon

    Gannon Contributor Contributor

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  9. Leonardo Pisano

    Leonardo Pisano Active Member

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    AFAIK, Amos's is correct, how unnatural it may seem. I believe the plural possessive ending on an "s" goes with the comma, such as in: the houses' chimneys or the ships' anchors
     
  10. KillianRussell

    KillianRussell New Member

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    Elvis' gay lover, not elvis's boy toy
     
  11. Mallory

    Mallory Contributor Contributor

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    Yep.

    Thomas' lover, not Thomas's lover.
     
  12. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

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    Well, been thinking a bit more, and found this very name in my notes:

    'I liked the Elvis' costumes' -- I am admiring the costumes of a group of Elvis lookalikes,
    and
    'I liked Elvis's costume' -- I liked the costume worn by Elvis.

    Elvis' = plural noun (I suppose you could also have 'Elvises', but word seems to morph out of recognition)
    Elvis's = singular noun

    *phew* I knew this issue had caused problems in the past.

    I'd still go with the s' and not s's every time, even for singular nouns. I guess it's partly a matter of style?
     
  13. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    what's wrong with just 'his'?... or 'the man's/boy's/whatever's?

    any alternative would be better, imo...
     

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