Advice on punctuation, grammar, style and other critical communication details

So, resident experts, what is the correct possessive form for "Bloomingdale's"?

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by credit this
So, resident experts, what is the correct possessive form for "Bloomingdale's"?

Since the store was founded by Joseph and Lyman Bloomingdale, technically the store should be named Bloomingdales'. However, by its own choice the current owners of the store use the singular possessive. Let's take that as read.

If the thing possessed is possessed by the store that is owned by and named after Bloomingdale, I would argue the possessive is still simply Bloomingdale's, not "Bloomingdale's's." However, to be clear that the item is owned by the store ("Bloomingdale's") and not some person named Bloomingdale, make every effort to rephrase to make the possessive form unnecessary (e.g., "the item belongs to Bloomingdale's" instead of "it is Bloomingdale's item").

[Flinty_McFlint]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Since the store was founded by Joseph and Lyman Bloomingdale, technically the store should be named Bloomingdales'. However, by its own choice the current owners of the store use the singular possessive. Let's take that as read.

If the thing possessed is possessed by the store that is owned by and named after Bloomingdale, I would argue the possessive is still simply Bloomingdale's, not "Bloomingdale's's." However, to be clear that the item is owned by the store ("Bloomingdale's") and not some person named Bloomingdale, make every effort to rephrase to make the possessive form unnecessary (e.g., "the item belongs to Bloomingdale's" instead of "it is Bloomingdale's item").

Or, in the alternative, you could shop at Target, like me.

Thanks, I'm all over the rephrasing option (though in writing about some litigation involving Bloomingdale's, it would be convenient to have a possessive). I posted because the question occurred to me and I thought it amusing in light of the recent discussion about singular and plural possessives and whether the rules governing them are universal.

"Bloomingdale's's," indeed!

[NotFromHere]

New entries to Merriam Websters

Following is a partial list of new words and their definitions being entered into this year's edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.

Amuse-bouche (noun): a small complimentary appetizer offered at some restaurants.

Battle dress uniform (noun): a military uniform for field service.

DHS (abbreviation) : Department of Homeland Security.

Hazmat (noun): a material (as flammable or poisonous material) that would be a danger to life or to the environment if released without precautions.

Metadata (noun): data that provide information about other data.

Otology (noun): a science that deals with the ear and its diseases.

Retronym (noun): a term consisting of a noun and a modifier which specifies the original meaning of the noun. ("Film camera," for instance).

Tide pool (noun): a pool of salt water left (as in a rock basin) by an ebbing tide, called also tidal pool.

Wi-Fi (certification mark): used to certify the interoperability of wireless computer networking devices.

Zaibatsu (noun): a powerful financial and industrial conglomerate of Japan.

Also...brain freeze, chick flick and bikini wax (no Brazilian?), steganography, cybrarian (I like this one), hospitalist, SARS and civil union.

[Atticus Grinch]

"JetBlue is always finding ways to treat you special."

Seconds later, a local jeweler was boasting mom-and-baby sapphire pendants "as radiant as the new mom, and as precious as your new baby." WTF?

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Well if this thread is resuscitated, how about this?

Ty says "who?"