Use of the possessive apostrophe in a list
If I was to label something
The Poets and Painters' Distillery
do I only apply the possessive apostrophe after 'Painters' as in the text written above, or do I also need to apply one to 'Poets' so that it becomes
The Poets' and Painters' Distillery ?
I'm thinking the former is correct, but cannot be too sure.
saxon-genitive compound-possessives
edited 2 days ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked Jul 26 '13 at 5:38
Simon
61113
add a comment |
If I was to label something
The Poets and Painters' Distillery
do I only apply the possessive apostrophe after 'Painters' as in the text written above, or do I also need to apply one to 'Poets' so that it becomes
The Poets' and Painters' Distillery ?
I'm thinking the former is correct, but cannot be too sure.
saxon-genitive compound-possessives
edited 2 days ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked Jul 26 '13 at 5:38
Simon
61113
add a comment |
If I was to label something
The Poets and Painters' Distillery
do I only apply the possessive apostrophe after 'Painters' as in the text written above, or do I also need to apply one to 'Poets' so that it becomes
The Poets' and Painters' Distillery ?
I'm thinking the former is correct, but cannot be too sure.
saxon-genitive compound-possessives
edited 2 days ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked Jul 26 '13 at 5:38
Simon
61113
If I was to label something
The Poets and Painters' Distillery
do I only apply the possessive apostrophe after 'Painters' as in the text written above, or do I also need to apply one to 'Poets' so that it becomes
The Poets' and Painters' Distillery ?
I'm thinking the former is correct, but cannot be too sure.
saxon-genitive compound-possessives
saxon-genitive compound-possessives
edited 2 days ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked Jul 26 '13 at 5:38
Simon
61113
edited 2 days ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
asked Jul 26 '13 at 5:38
Simon
61113
edited 2 days ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
edited 2 days ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
edited 2 days ago
tchrist♦
108k28290463
108k28290463
asked Jul 26 '13 at 5:38
Simon
61113
asked Jul 26 '13 at 5:38
Simon
61113
asked Jul 26 '13 at 5:38
Simon
61113
61113
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
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You are right. If the distillery is jointly possessed by the poets and painters then you only need the apostrophe after Painters.
Similarly, John and Mary's house is the house owned jointly by John and Mary. If John and Mary each have their own houses, then you need apostrophes after both possessive nouns: John's and Mary's houses. Note, however, that to remove any ambiguity as to how many houses each has you need to repeat the possessed noun: John's house and Mary's houses.
answered Jul 26 '13 at 5:56
Shoe
25k43684
+1 confirm I was about to write the same when I saw Shoe's answer.
– Mari-Lou A
Jul 26 '13 at 6:52
+1 But John may have two houses and Mary three. Then "John's and Mary's houses" is unambiguous (although some information is not provided).
– bib
Jul 26 '13 at 13:45
bib, agreed. To remove all ambiguity you would need to specify as follows: John's one house and Mary's two houses / John's two houses and Mary's three houses ... e.g. have been repossessed.
– Shoe
Jul 26 '13 at 14:34
@Shoe, “John’s one house” is not really necessary: if ‘house’ is kept in the singular, you know there is only one. “John’s house and Mary’s three houses” works equally well (or awkwardly).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Jul 26 '13 at 14:47
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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active
oldest
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
You are right. If the distillery is jointly possessed by the poets and painters then you only need the apostrophe after Painters.
Similarly, John and Mary's house is the house owned jointly by John and Mary. If John and Mary each have their own houses, then you need apostrophes after both possessive nouns: John's and Mary's houses. Note, however, that to remove any ambiguity as to how many houses each has you need to repeat the possessed noun: John's house and Mary's houses.
answered Jul 26 '13 at 5:56
Shoe
25k43684
+1 confirm I was about to write the same when I saw Shoe's answer.
– Mari-Lou A
Jul 26 '13 at 6:52
+1 But John may have two houses and Mary three. Then "John's and Mary's houses" is unambiguous (although some information is not provided).
– bib
Jul 26 '13 at 13:45
bib, agreed. To remove all ambiguity you would need to specify as follows: John's one house and Mary's two houses / John's two houses and Mary's three houses ... e.g. have been repossessed.
– Shoe
Jul 26 '13 at 14:34
@Shoe, “John’s one house” is not really necessary: if ‘house’ is kept in the singular, you know there is only one. “John’s house and Mary’s three houses” works equally well (or awkwardly).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Jul 26 '13 at 14:47
add a comment |
You are right. If the distillery is jointly possessed by the poets and painters then you only need the apostrophe after Painters.
Similarly, John and Mary's house is the house owned jointly by John and Mary. If John and Mary each have their own houses, then you need apostrophes after both possessive nouns: John's and Mary's houses. Note, however, that to remove any ambiguity as to how many houses each has you need to repeat the possessed noun: John's house and Mary's houses.
answered Jul 26 '13 at 5:56
Shoe
25k43684
+1 confirm I was about to write the same when I saw Shoe's answer.
– Mari-Lou A
Jul 26 '13 at 6:52
+1 But John may have two houses and Mary three. Then "John's and Mary's houses" is unambiguous (although some information is not provided).
– bib
Jul 26 '13 at 13:45
bib, agreed. To remove all ambiguity you would need to specify as follows: John's one house and Mary's two houses / John's two houses and Mary's three houses ... e.g. have been repossessed.
– Shoe
Jul 26 '13 at 14:34
@Shoe, “John’s one house” is not really necessary: if ‘house’ is kept in the singular, you know there is only one. “John’s house and Mary’s three houses” works equally well (or awkwardly).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Jul 26 '13 at 14:47
add a comment |
You are right. If the distillery is jointly possessed by the poets and painters then you only need the apostrophe after Painters.
Similarly, John and Mary's house is the house owned jointly by John and Mary. If John and Mary each have their own houses, then you need apostrophes after both possessive nouns: John's and Mary's houses. Note, however, that to remove any ambiguity as to how many houses each has you need to repeat the possessed noun: John's house and Mary's houses.
answered Jul 26 '13 at 5:56
Shoe
25k43684
You are right. If the distillery is jointly possessed by the poets and painters then you only need the apostrophe after Painters.
Similarly, John and Mary's house is the house owned jointly by John and Mary. If John and Mary each have their own houses, then you need apostrophes after both possessive nouns: John's and Mary's houses. Note, however, that to remove any ambiguity as to how many houses each has you need to repeat the possessed noun: John's house and Mary's houses.
answered Jul 26 '13 at 5:56
Shoe
25k43684
answered Jul 26 '13 at 5:56
Shoe
25k43684
answered Jul 26 '13 at 5:56
Shoe
25k43684
answered Jul 26 '13 at 5:56
Shoe
25k43684
25k43684
+1 confirm I was about to write the same when I saw Shoe's answer.
– Mari-Lou A
Jul 26 '13 at 6:52
+1 But John may have two houses and Mary three. Then "John's and Mary's houses" is unambiguous (although some information is not provided).
– bib
Jul 26 '13 at 13:45
bib, agreed. To remove all ambiguity you would need to specify as follows: John's one house and Mary's two houses / John's two houses and Mary's three houses ... e.g. have been repossessed.
– Shoe
Jul 26 '13 at 14:34
@Shoe, “John’s one house” is not really necessary: if ‘house’ is kept in the singular, you know there is only one. “John’s house and Mary’s three houses” works equally well (or awkwardly).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Jul 26 '13 at 14:47
add a comment |
+1 confirm I was about to write the same when I saw Shoe's answer.
– Mari-Lou A
Jul 26 '13 at 6:52
+1 But John may have two houses and Mary three. Then "John's and Mary's houses" is unambiguous (although some information is not provided).
– bib
Jul 26 '13 at 13:45
bib, agreed. To remove all ambiguity you would need to specify as follows: John's one house and Mary's two houses / John's two houses and Mary's three houses ... e.g. have been repossessed.
– Shoe
Jul 26 '13 at 14:34
@Shoe, “John’s one house” is not really necessary: if ‘house’ is kept in the singular, you know there is only one. “John’s house and Mary’s three houses” works equally well (or awkwardly).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Jul 26 '13 at 14:47
+1 confirm I was about to write the same when I saw Shoe's answer.
– Mari-Lou A
Jul 26 '13 at 6:52
+1 confirm I was about to write the same when I saw Shoe's answer.
– Mari-Lou A
Jul 26 '13 at 6:52
+1 But John may have two houses and Mary three. Then "John's and Mary's houses" is unambiguous (although some information is not provided).
– bib
Jul 26 '13 at 13:45
+1 But John may have two houses and Mary three. Then "John's and Mary's houses" is unambiguous (although some information is not provided).
– bib
Jul 26 '13 at 13:45
bib, agreed. To remove all ambiguity you would need to specify as follows: John's one house and Mary's two houses / John's two houses and Mary's three houses ... e.g. have been repossessed.
– Shoe
Jul 26 '13 at 14:34
bib, agreed. To remove all ambiguity you would need to specify as follows: John's one house and Mary's two houses / John's two houses and Mary's three houses ... e.g. have been repossessed.
– Shoe
Jul 26 '13 at 14:34
@Shoe, “John’s one house” is not really necessary: if ‘house’ is kept in the singular, you know there is only one. “John’s house and Mary’s three houses” works equally well (or awkwardly).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Jul 26 '13 at 14:47
@Shoe, “John’s one house” is not really necessary: if ‘house’ is kept in the singular, you know there is only one. “John’s house and Mary’s three houses” works equally well (or awkwardly).
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Jul 26 '13 at 14:47
add a comment |
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