Possessives and Sibilants

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

What is the correct way to use a possessive when a person's name ends in "s"? Is the rule the same for making possessives for plurals? (with Stargate SG-1 examples)

Let's take these one at a time.

Possessive form of words ending with sibilants (s, ch, sh, z or x)

Possessives of a singular noun are always formed by added an apostrophe and s, even if the word ends in a sibilant sound.

Jack found Anubis's frumpy hood-and-cloak ensemble to be more laughable than threatening.

The Nox's homeworld was deceptively low-tech in appearance.

The SGC was hoping the harcesis's knowledge could bring down the goa'uld.

The imprisoned team was mightily relieved to hear Col. Reynolds's voice on their radios.

Please note that it is never "Col. Reynold's voice"—the s is an integral part of his name. [Hint: When in doubt, switch formats to "the voice of Col. Reynolds." However you see the name/noun written, add the possessive after that.]


Most style books do permit the dropping of the s if it makes pronunciation extremely difficult or awkward, especially classical or biblical names ending in es, is or us. Jesus' and Moses' are commonly allowed exceptions (though I and many others personally say and write Jesus's). Other noted exceptions: Achilles' heel, Hercules' strength, Ramses' reign, Xerxes' conquest, Isis' temple. With classical names such as these (which can often come up in Stargate writing!), try speaking each option out loud and use your preferred form consistently throughout your fic: Does it sound like "Osiris ribbon device"? Then write Osiris' ribbon device. "Osirises ribbon device"? Then write Osiris's ribbon device. Use whichever one sounds right to you.


Possessive form of plural words ending with sibilants

Plurals ending in an s take only the apostrophe to form the possessive. (Do remember to pluralize your sibilant-ending names first, though. Col. Reynolds and his family are the Reynoldses.)

Daniel peered over his glasses' rims, looking bemused.

The Carters' trip to San Diego was cut short by a Tok'ra emergency call.

Watching the Lees and Coombses at the Meyerses' Festivus party made Felger all too aware he was the last single man in the science department.

[Hint: Again, try the format switch: the party at the Meyerses. The apostrophe goes after the plural form indicating the Meyers family.]


Sources:
The Chicago Manual of Style. 2003.
The American Heritage Book of English Usage. 1996.
The Elements of Style. 1918.

Comments

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and get points for things I didn't do wrong in English tests. *sporks Thomas and his stupid ball*

Thanks for posting this. I always got confused with the possessive form. But now I think I will just forget what my teacher said and add the s all the time.

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Hee! We need a time machine!

Yes, it can get confusing enough even for teachers, but the style guides are pro s for singular possessives.

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

Yes. Where is a hot time travelling Doctor when you need one?

Yeah, I guess it is confusing for teachers as well. And they can hardly say "as long as it sounds right in your head" or something like that. Cause then everyone would have to get an A. Still.

*licks your icons lips and neck and nibbles his left ear*

Sorry, but he asked for it. ;)

[starwatcher]

.
Whee! One character in my fandom is Captain Simon Banks. I've always written things like, "Captain Banks's voice filled the room," because that's how I say it, even though 40-year-old memories of school insisted I was wrong. How cool to know it's legitimate. Thanks!
.

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

You were writing it right! \o/ (I'll bet Blair does, too. :-)

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

Whoo hoo! I was right, I was right! I knew it! *snoopy dance*

(Except, I have forgotten to put the es after Myers so I would've said Meyers' Festivus Party. D'oh!)

Thank you, thank you, thank you greengrrl!

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Yay for being right! :-D

Yeah, for some reason Meyerses is difficult in the way Joneses isn't; I'm not sure why.

[lmichelle599.livejournal.com]

But I learned in school it was always s'. Why can't it be Anubis' hood? The apostrophe s thing looks weird after an s.

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Teachers seem to have presented it in a variety of ways. The style books do as well, but they do generally agree that 's is preferable, although they do allow exceptions, to a greater or lesser degree, for classical/biblical names. The name Anubis falls into that category, so if Anubis' feels more right to you, you could write it that way and still be correct.

[wivern.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I was taught not to add an extra s. Though I'm in Aus so that might make a difference.

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

There've been people in the US taught not to, as well. Though it would be a good idea to look in an Australian English style guide to see if there's any difference. I have to admit, I used all American English style guides.

[hollyilex.livejournal.com]

I was taught not to add an extra 's' too but I'm old and in the UK - things change *g*. I don't say the extra 's' either - I would say "Captain Banks' butt" just as it's written (but with added drool *g*).

It's not just fanfic writers who get confused by the possessive - I know of someone who had a paper rejected by an American academic journal and one reason given (of several) was that she had not apostrophised the possessive 'its' - which I was always taught shouldn't be given an apostrophe.

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Definitely check a current British English style guide, such as The Oxford Guide to Style, to be sure, though I believe they follow the same guidelines.

Spoken English tends to vary and be more casual than written, so I don't think anyone would be aghast to hear you discussing Simon's rear and not pronouncing it as "Captain Bankses butt." They'll be too busy drooling, too. ;-)

And that journal editor should be fired! Under no circumstances, in any English-speaking country, does "it's" refer to anything other than "it is/it was/it has"!

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

After asking hubby how he would have spelt 'Gibbs's gun' we turned to the books to confirm that we Brits have the same rule. (I know from writing both British and American fanfic that not all our grammar/punctuation rules are the same).

I am now sitting here with the Oxford Book Of Style (2002) in my hands and it too confirms the rule.

It is indeed s's unless (as shown in your examples above) the name is a classical name. It says it is also permissible to only us the s' after longer non-classical names.

*Am even happier now as the rule applies in both countries*

Thank you again for this.

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

Fellow Brit here (early 40s). Given that I have never not used the additional 's', I must have been taught it that way.

But then as you say teaching changes over the years and decades (and also, I know from experience, location!)

And have now confirmed it in a style book.

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Thank you for checking that!

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

*Bounces happily*

This has *so* made my day.

One of the main characters in my main fandom is Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and I have *always* written things like 'Gibbs's voice could be heard over all the others', because that's how I say it. It's always 'felt' and 'looked' wrong/as if something was missing, when other people write it 'Gibbs' voice could be heard over all the others'.

Thank you so much!

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

You win the grammar gold star!

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

*Beams*

Why thank you kindly.

[haldoor.livejournal.com]

Okay, I think I learned something - although I still find it odd. Do you think James counts as a biblical name? James's expression, for instance, still looks slightly odd, but maybe I'm just getting my head around it! I must look to see if other names ending with 's' seem as odd to me or if it's just that I've been playing with that one lately! Thanks, anyway, am going to do my best to remember this one. Phew, English is hard some days!

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

James's is correct. But if you were talking about Matt and Sara James, it would be "the Jameses' expression." We see apostrophes misused more often than we see them correctly, which makes correct usage look strange!

[muck-a-luck.livejournal.com]

I just printed this for an attorney in the office who is working on a brief. Thought you would like to know the reach of fandom_grammar. (Though he and I both agree that we want it to be Mr. Mimms' brief, not Mr. Mimms's brief. He says it will sprain his fingers to type it that way!)

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Hey, I sprain my fingers every time I type Teal'c's, but I do it anyway! ;-) Maybe I'm just used to the 's, but I wouldn't have any problem typing Mimms's, nor in pronouncing it "Mimmses."

It's nice to be the voice of authority in a legal office, though. :D