“For Heaven's Sake” or “For Heaven Sakes”?
I hear these used almost interchangeably. To me "for heaven's sake" makes sense grammatically, but is there something I'm missing?
grammaticality expressions
asked Jan 25 '13 at 17:04
DanielDaniel
155129
add a comment |
I hear these used almost interchangeably. To me "for heaven's sake" makes sense grammatically, but is there something I'm missing?
grammaticality expressions
asked Jan 25 '13 at 17:04
DanielDaniel
155129
For goodness sake! Most people don't bother even writing possessive apostrophe in goodness' there, and no-one ever enunciates it (or pluralises sakes). But we nearly always pluralise the facetiously stereotypical Land sakes! (which I invariably follow up with Lawks-a-mussy! :)
– FumbleFingers
Jan 25 '13 at 18:58
Interesting that no-one has suggested "for heavens' sake" i.e. for the sake of (all the) heavens.....
– Michael Dineen
May 31 '17 at 22:20
Just think which between "for my sake" or "for I sakes" sounds right.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 6 at 0:56
add a comment |
I hear these used almost interchangeably. To me "for heaven's sake" makes sense grammatically, but is there something I'm missing?
grammaticality expressions
asked Jan 25 '13 at 17:04
DanielDaniel
155129
I hear these used almost interchangeably. To me "for heaven's sake" makes sense grammatically, but is there something I'm missing?
grammaticality expressions
grammaticality expressions
asked Jan 25 '13 at 17:04
DanielDaniel
155129
asked Jan 25 '13 at 17:04
DanielDaniel
155129
asked Jan 25 '13 at 17:04
DanielDaniel
155129
asked Jan 25 '13 at 17:04
DanielDaniel
155129
asked Jan 25 '13 at 17:04
DanielDaniel
155129
155129
For goodness sake! Most people don't bother even writing possessive apostrophe in goodness' there, and no-one ever enunciates it (or pluralises sakes). But we nearly always pluralise the facetiously stereotypical Land sakes! (which I invariably follow up with Lawks-a-mussy! :)
– FumbleFingers
Jan 25 '13 at 18:58
Interesting that no-one has suggested "for heavens' sake" i.e. for the sake of (all the) heavens.....
– Michael Dineen
May 31 '17 at 22:20
Just think which between "for my sake" or "for I sakes" sounds right.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 6 at 0:56
add a comment |
For goodness sake! Most people don't bother even writing possessive apostrophe in goodness' there, and no-one ever enunciates it (or pluralises sakes). But we nearly always pluralise the facetiously stereotypical Land sakes! (which I invariably follow up with Lawks-a-mussy! :)
– FumbleFingers
Jan 25 '13 at 18:58
Interesting that no-one has suggested "for heavens' sake" i.e. for the sake of (all the) heavens.....
– Michael Dineen
May 31 '17 at 22:20
Just think which between "for my sake" or "for I sakes" sounds right.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 6 at 0:56
For goodness sake! Most people don't bother even writing possessive apostrophe in goodness' there, and no-one ever enunciates it (or pluralises sakes). But we nearly always pluralise the facetiously stereotypical Land sakes! (which I invariably follow up with Lawks-a-mussy! :)
– FumbleFingers
Jan 25 '13 at 18:58
For goodness sake! Most people don't bother even writing possessive apostrophe in goodness' there, and no-one ever enunciates it (or pluralises sakes). But we nearly always pluralise the facetiously stereotypical Land sakes! (which I invariably follow up with Lawks-a-mussy! :)
– FumbleFingers
Jan 25 '13 at 18:58
Interesting that no-one has suggested "for heavens' sake" i.e. for the sake of (all the) heavens.....
– Michael Dineen
May 31 '17 at 22:20
Interesting that no-one has suggested "for heavens' sake" i.e. for the sake of (all the) heavens.....
– Michael Dineen
May 31 '17 at 22:20
Just think which between "for my sake" or "for I sakes" sounds right.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 6 at 0:56
Just think which between "for my sake" or "for I sakes" sounds right.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 6 at 0:56
add a comment |
1 Answer
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Nope, it's definitely "For Heaven's Sake", as in "For the sake of Heaven". (Think "For God's Sake", "For Pete's Sake", etc.) The singular "sake" is the one that is the most standard and formal, though you also often see it as "For heaven's sakeS".
"For heaven sakes" is apparently one of the common alternate forms of the expression, but I imagine it is rather colloquial and region-dependent. I don't think I've ever heard it used, personally.
answered Jan 25 '13 at 17:13
PhirePhire
36613
Of those listed in the link you give, "heavens' sake" is also grammatically correct, and theologically sound according to some beliefs.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 17:50
That's a good point, though only if the trailing apostrophe is added. Otherwise the possessive is lost.
– Phire
Jan 25 '13 at 18:04
Yes, it's listed as one found, but not given in the examples of "grammatically questionable" uses, leaving it unclear whether they find that form questionable or not themselves.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 18:06
@Jon I submit that "heaven's sake" → "heaven sake" is metanalysis.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 25 '13 at 22:07
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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oldest
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votes
Nope, it's definitely "For Heaven's Sake", as in "For the sake of Heaven". (Think "For God's Sake", "For Pete's Sake", etc.) The singular "sake" is the one that is the most standard and formal, though you also often see it as "For heaven's sakeS".
"For heaven sakes" is apparently one of the common alternate forms of the expression, but I imagine it is rather colloquial and region-dependent. I don't think I've ever heard it used, personally.
answered Jan 25 '13 at 17:13
PhirePhire
36613
Of those listed in the link you give, "heavens' sake" is also grammatically correct, and theologically sound according to some beliefs.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 17:50
That's a good point, though only if the trailing apostrophe is added. Otherwise the possessive is lost.
– Phire
Jan 25 '13 at 18:04
Yes, it's listed as one found, but not given in the examples of "grammatically questionable" uses, leaving it unclear whether they find that form questionable or not themselves.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 18:06
@Jon I submit that "heaven's sake" → "heaven sake" is metanalysis.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 25 '13 at 22:07
add a comment |
Nope, it's definitely "For Heaven's Sake", as in "For the sake of Heaven". (Think "For God's Sake", "For Pete's Sake", etc.) The singular "sake" is the one that is the most standard and formal, though you also often see it as "For heaven's sakeS".
"For heaven sakes" is apparently one of the common alternate forms of the expression, but I imagine it is rather colloquial and region-dependent. I don't think I've ever heard it used, personally.
answered Jan 25 '13 at 17:13
PhirePhire
36613
Of those listed in the link you give, "heavens' sake" is also grammatically correct, and theologically sound according to some beliefs.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 17:50
That's a good point, though only if the trailing apostrophe is added. Otherwise the possessive is lost.
– Phire
Jan 25 '13 at 18:04
Yes, it's listed as one found, but not given in the examples of "grammatically questionable" uses, leaving it unclear whether they find that form questionable or not themselves.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 18:06
@Jon I submit that "heaven's sake" → "heaven sake" is metanalysis.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 25 '13 at 22:07
add a comment |
Nope, it's definitely "For Heaven's Sake", as in "For the sake of Heaven". (Think "For God's Sake", "For Pete's Sake", etc.) The singular "sake" is the one that is the most standard and formal, though you also often see it as "For heaven's sakeS".
"For heaven sakes" is apparently one of the common alternate forms of the expression, but I imagine it is rather colloquial and region-dependent. I don't think I've ever heard it used, personally.
answered Jan 25 '13 at 17:13
PhirePhire
36613
Nope, it's definitely "For Heaven's Sake", as in "For the sake of Heaven". (Think "For God's Sake", "For Pete's Sake", etc.) The singular "sake" is the one that is the most standard and formal, though you also often see it as "For heaven's sakeS".
"For heaven sakes" is apparently one of the common alternate forms of the expression, but I imagine it is rather colloquial and region-dependent. I don't think I've ever heard it used, personally.
answered Jan 25 '13 at 17:13
PhirePhire
36613
answered Jan 25 '13 at 17:13
PhirePhire
36613
answered Jan 25 '13 at 17:13
PhirePhire
36613
answered Jan 25 '13 at 17:13
PhirePhire
36613
36613
Of those listed in the link you give, "heavens' sake" is also grammatically correct, and theologically sound according to some beliefs.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 17:50
That's a good point, though only if the trailing apostrophe is added. Otherwise the possessive is lost.
– Phire
Jan 25 '13 at 18:04
Yes, it's listed as one found, but not given in the examples of "grammatically questionable" uses, leaving it unclear whether they find that form questionable or not themselves.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 18:06
@Jon I submit that "heaven's sake" → "heaven sake" is metanalysis.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 25 '13 at 22:07
add a comment |
Of those listed in the link you give, "heavens' sake" is also grammatically correct, and theologically sound according to some beliefs.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 17:50
That's a good point, though only if the trailing apostrophe is added. Otherwise the possessive is lost.
– Phire
Jan 25 '13 at 18:04
Yes, it's listed as one found, but not given in the examples of "grammatically questionable" uses, leaving it unclear whether they find that form questionable or not themselves.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 18:06
@Jon I submit that "heaven's sake" → "heaven sake" is metanalysis.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 25 '13 at 22:07
Of those listed in the link you give, "heavens' sake" is also grammatically correct, and theologically sound according to some beliefs.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 17:50
Of those listed in the link you give, "heavens' sake" is also grammatically correct, and theologically sound according to some beliefs.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 17:50
That's a good point, though only if the trailing apostrophe is added. Otherwise the possessive is lost.
– Phire
Jan 25 '13 at 18:04
That's a good point, though only if the trailing apostrophe is added. Otherwise the possessive is lost.
– Phire
Jan 25 '13 at 18:04
Yes, it's listed as one found, but not given in the examples of "grammatically questionable" uses, leaving it unclear whether they find that form questionable or not themselves.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 18:06
Yes, it's listed as one found, but not given in the examples of "grammatically questionable" uses, leaving it unclear whether they find that form questionable or not themselves.
– Jon Hanna
Jan 25 '13 at 18:06
@Jon I submit that "heaven's sake" → "heaven sake" is metanalysis.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 25 '13 at 22:07
@Jon I submit that "heaven's sake" → "heaven sake" is metanalysis.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 25 '13 at 22:07
add a comment |
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For goodness sake! Most people don't bother even writing possessive apostrophe in goodness' there, and no-one ever enunciates it (or pluralises sakes). But we nearly always pluralise the facetiously stereotypical Land sakes! (which I invariably follow up with Lawks-a-mussy! :)
– FumbleFingers
Jan 25 '13 at 18:58
Interesting that no-one has suggested "for heavens' sake" i.e. for the sake of (all the) heavens.....
– Michael Dineen
May 31 '17 at 22:20
Just think which between "for my sake" or "for I sakes" sounds right.
– RegDwigнt♦
Jan 6 at 0:56