Need a Ruling Please
 

Learn something new... I don't think I would have offended you, in practice, because my typical reaction is to just reword so that possessive is not required when there is a name ending in S.

Need a Ruling Please
 

We had quite the discussion regarding this late one night on the plural possessive ending in S. I said it's Somers' thighmaster. Someone else (senior to me) said it's Somers's. I was always taught the former. I went to an impartial juror and she said the NYTimes (or was it the LATimes?) book of style says my way is correct. Senior person quoted from "Woe is I" to show that she was correct. So - depends on who you reference. I say Somers'.

Need a Ruling Please
 

Right you are, Atticus. I will share with you another pronouncement from my 8th grade English teacher (Mrs. Bickley) that she would repeat to help us remember the rule:

• I don't care how many "esses" are at the end of a word; if it's a possessive, it gets apostrophe + s. (The example she always used was "the glass's rim".)

Also, you can look up accounts of the late Lady Diana Spencer's untimely death and the subsequent funeral arrangements etc., and you will see that news stories write of "the princess's funeral" (or what have you).

Need a Ruling Please
 

It might not surprise you to know that I have a copy of "Woe is I" on my desk at work (along with a host of other grammar manuals and style books -- I know, you're all shocked...).

However, I don't know what the LA Times book of style says, but I can assure you that the NYT wrote about "the princess's casket" or "the princess's funeral" etc. when Diana Spencer died. I remember noting it, and feeling great relief that at least the NYT still had some standards.

Need a Ruling Please
 

Ms. Binkley was wrong? If plurals are s' then princesses' is right, right? why would she say esses don't matter?

Need a Ruling Please
 

I can't believe I'm posting here, but what the heck. I think either way is correct, just so long as you are internally consistent. Purists (or the British) may insist on "princess's", but "princess'" should be fine too.

In any event, if Hank can respond on this board, I sure as hell can.

Best,

Reverend Flinty Sweetness

Need a Ruling Please
 

If we're moving on to plural possessive:

Congress. Is the word plural (in the British tradition of a collectivity as plural--"Man U are knackered out on the pitch"), and therefore:

Congress'

or singular, and therefore:

Congress's

Need a Ruling Please
 

Wouldn't your "British" characterization of treating the a collective noun as plural kind of answer that question? Of all things to treat as Brit. . . .

Need a Ruling Please
 

God, I can't believe I missed this!

If you're talking about more than one princess, then yes, that would be correct (e.g., "the princesses' brother" or "the princesses' tiaras").

Mrs. Bickley was never wrong.

Cheeeeeeese.
 

I have to admit to another longtime mispronunciation, of which I was reminded tonight. My only defense is that I'd only heard it correctly pronounced once, and was so certain it was wrong that I looked it up. To my shock, the misprounication I was seeking to disprove was actually a long-lost correct pronunciation.

Incorrect: Mars-CA-pone.

Correct: MAS-car-pone.

Cheeeeeeese.
 

Many of your faux pas could be avoided if you'd only PM me for clarification first. dtb was considered poorly educated before she started.

Cheeeeeeese.
 

This was a unique situation --- I couldn't wrap my brain around the possibility that something so good could rhyme with NASCAR-moan.

From the NY Times!!! (not that surprising, actually)
 

Let's see how long it takes them to fix it.

I'm sure it's just pure luck that they got the "it's" right.

From the NY Times!!! (not that surprising, actually)
 

they've fixed it in the story, but not in the headlines section. I have to admit that when I saw the names and the rugby references, I was really hoping it was a same-sex wedding announcement. Bex?

Calling Miss Punctuation
 

Road sign now properly punctuated to avoid offense.