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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → Punctuation
Punctuation
2006-06-15, 6:08 PM #1
This is bugging me. If you're pluralizing some kind of acronym or bunch of letters that stand for something, do you put an apostrophe? I always thought you weren't supposed to, e.g. "DVDs" but so many people do it the other way (DVD's) that I am starting to wonder.

Note: this thread is not asking which way YOU do it, rather how it's supposed to be done. I'm asking for educated contributions, here. :P
2006-06-15, 6:10 PM #2
If Tiberium_Empire would stop posting then you probably wouldn't have this problem.

Originally posted by Tiberium_Empire:
I'am


GAH

(No, you don't use apostrophes for plurals.)
Stuff
2006-06-15, 6:12 PM #3
But I mean plurals of abbreviations and acronyms, specifically :psyduck:
2006-06-15, 6:14 PM #4
Apostrophes indicate possession or contraction, never pluralisation. I think.

You don't use an apostrophe for possession where it would be confused for a contraction (i.e. it's = it is, its = possessive).

Or I could be completely wrong. Fun times.
Detty. Professional Expert.
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2006-06-15, 6:17 PM #5
Are English teacher broght this up, and read from a book on proper English (the book was actually mandatory for my English Honors class), and it said apostrophes in the context you're talking about are NOT correct. Detty was right, apostrophes indicate possession or contraction, never pluralisation, and accoriding the book it's a very common and wrong mistake.
The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.

-G Man
2006-06-15, 6:21 PM #6
I'm pretty sure apostrophes should never be used for pluralisation... even with abbreviations.

DVDs is correct, DVD's is not. Unless it's to do with posession. For example "The DVD's case" would be correct. (I think.)
TheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWho
SaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTh
eJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSa
ysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJ
kWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSays
NiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkWhoSaysNiTheJkW
2006-06-15, 6:38 PM #7
Most people are just plain dumb. Don't do what they do.

I never use apostrophes for the pluralization of acronyms. Why? Because it's stupid and wrong.
"it is time to get a credit card to complete my financial independance" — Tibby, Aug. 2009
2006-06-15, 6:51 PM #8
"My DVD's not working" - My DVD is not working.

"My DVDs not working" - My DVDs (are not) working.
幻術
2006-06-15, 7:10 PM #9
Originally posted by KnightRider2000:
Are English teacher broght this up, and read from a book on proper English (the book was actually mandatory for my English Honors class), and it said apostrophes in the context you're talking about are NOT correct. Detty was right, apostrophes indicate possession or contraction, never pluralisation, and accoriding the book it's a very common and wrong mistake.


I'm guessing you missed Homonym day though, right? ;)
Marsz, marsz, Dąbrowski,
Z ziemi włoskiej do Polski,
Za twoim przewodem
Złączym się z narodem.
2006-06-15, 8:40 PM #10
Then there are people like Freelancer who feel the need to jump on me if I miss a period or capitalization :O

OMG LOOK NO PERIOD! Im a REBEL
[01:52] <~Nikumubeki> Because it's MBEGGAR BEGS LIKE A BEGONI.
2006-06-15, 8:42 PM #11
Are you sure he was attacking you? I read it as more of a question...like, just asking.
COUCHMAN IS BACK BABY
2006-06-15, 8:45 PM #12
Originally posted by MBeggar:
Then there are people like Freelancer who feel the need to jump on me if I miss a period or capitalization :O

OMG LOOK NO PERIOD! Im a REBEL


Cause Freelancer never misses a period :ninja:

*runs*
"DON'T TASE ME BRO!" lol
2006-06-15, 8:52 PM #13
The DVDs are pretty.

The DVD's surface is shiny.

That should clear things up.
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Lassev: I guess there was something captivating in savagery, because I liked it.
2006-06-15, 9:30 PM #14
Thank you for assuring me that I am right after all, Massassi! :P
2006-06-15, 9:31 PM #15
Originally posted by Detty:
Apostrophes indicate possession or contraction, never pluralisation. I think.

You don't use an apostrophe for possession where it would be confused for a contraction (i.e. it's = it is, its = possessive).

Or I could be completely wrong. Fun times.

You are completely correct. The only time apostrophes can be used for pluralization, according to this one book I read in school years ago, is with letters. For example, there are two R's in the word "correct." It would be incorrect to say "There are two Rs in the word 'correct.'"
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2006-06-15, 9:38 PM #16
Originally posted by KnightRider2000:
Are English teacher broght this up...


Oh dear. :o
2006-06-15, 9:40 PM #17
What Emon said.

Originally posted by Koobie:
"My DVD's not working" - My DVD is not working.

"My DVDs not working" - My DVDs (are not) working.

Wouldn't you still need a verb in your second example? :confused:
2006-06-15, 9:43 PM #18
With file formats I find myself using the apostrophe. ie: mp3's, jpg's, just to avoid confusion.
Steal my dreams and sell them back to me.....
2006-06-15, 10:04 PM #19
Originally posted by 'Thrawn[numbarz:
']Oh dear. :o


lol, it's Florida :v:
"DON'T TASE ME BRO!" lol
2006-06-16, 1:06 AM #20
In Germany we call those idiot's apostrophes.

Here are some painful examples, first one found in Australia and the second found in Koppenhagen, not England.
Attachment: 12442/jeans.jpg (24,330 bytes)
Attachment: 12443/cheese.jpg (17,713 bytes)
Sorry for the lousy German
2006-06-16, 1:24 AM #21
holy ****. cheese's and short's :D:D:D
Pie.
2006-06-16, 4:28 AM #22
The first sign makes me think an assistant put the sign up with no apostrophes, got told off by their boss, then went a little overboard on the second attempt.
The Massassi-Map
There is no spoon.
2006-06-16, 4:33 AM #23
Originally posted by Spork:
The first sign makes me think an assistant put the sign up with no apostrophes, got told off by their boss, then went a little overboard on the second attempt.


I might be imagining it, but I think the space between the "s" and the previous letter is a little wider than between any other letters, indicating the apostrophe was there to begin with (for example in the "Jean's" word).

But yours is a very good theory, though.
Frozen in the past by ICARUS
2006-06-16, 4:37 AM #24
Originally posted by Spork:
The first sign makes me think an assistant put the sign up with no apostrophes, got told off by their boss, then went a little overboard on the second attempt.


Or he's just a freakin' idiot.

But I love that second sign.
error; function{getsig} returns 'null'
2006-06-16, 6:21 AM #25
Straight from the dictionary:

"apostrophe: The superscript sign ( ' ) used to indicate the omission of a letter or letters from a word, the possessive case, or the plurals of numbers, letters, and abbreviations."

Omitting the apostrophe is also grammatically correct, and is preferred by most (all?) style guides.
2006-06-16, 12:13 PM #26
So according the the dictionary then 1's a's and DVD's are all ok but cheese's is still wrong.
Sam: "Sir we can't call it 'The Enterprise'"
Jack: "Why not!"
2006-06-16, 2:03 PM #27
Cheese's is correct.

Because cheese OWNS.
2006-06-16, 2:11 PM #28
that signs reads: SHORT'S

lol
"Nulla tenaci invia est via"
2006-06-16, 6:19 PM #29
Too bad it won't matter because of the rising non-american-english-speaking population. Soon we'll be speaking some horrid spanish-english hybrid :(

As if english isn't a sloppy language as is..


(btw, Detty's post is exactly how I remember it from my english textbooks.)
May the mass times acceleration be with you.
2006-06-16, 6:24 PM #30
Originally posted by darthslaw:
Too bad it won't matter because of the rising non-american-english-speaking population. Soon we'll be speaking some horrid spanish-english hybrid :(

As if english isn't a sloppy language as is..


Um...English steals from lots of languages, and always has. Stop whining because you're afraid the Mexicans will beat you up. :P
2006-06-16, 6:33 PM #31
Originally posted by Homicide:
Or he's just a freakin' idiot.

But I love that second sign.

or they're a pair of freakin' idiot's.
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

Lassev: I guess there was something captivating in savagery, because I liked it.
2006-06-16, 7:13 PM #32
Originally posted by darthslaw:
Too bad it won't matter because of the rising non-american-english-speaking population. Soon we'll be speaking some horrid spanish-english hybrid :(


The sad thing is, most mistakes in that area in German come from the way the English use the apostroph. :(
Sorry for the lousy German

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