Comments | slavendermenace: English experts settle this dispute...

slavendermenace

English experts settle this dispute...

Aug 29, 2005 18:29

How would you punctuate this sentance? If both brother and sister are plural, how do you create the possession of the baptism?

I went to all 4 of my older brothers and sisters baptisms

Comments 30

randomcelestial August 29 2005, 23:35:26 UTC

I went to all four of my older brothers' and sisters' baptisms.

kat0ninetales August 29 2005, 23:37:13 UTC

don't you just put an apostrophy on the last of the list? I'm pretty sure that's the case, but I'll check a grammar book.

randomcelestial August 30 2005, 00:02:59 UTC

I'm pretty sure that's only when the possession is of a singular object. Like

"Me and my roommate's TV."

If it's multiple possessors and objects, I think it's two apostrophes.

randomcelestial August 30 2005, 00:05:40 UTC

Yeah, just verified that.

"Note that individual ownership is marked by a double possessive:

Courtney's and Mem's grade point averages"

Thread 8

kat0ninetales August 29 2005, 23:36:28 UTC

brothers and sisters baptisms

brothers and sisters' baptisms

ghostofchance August 29 2005, 23:41:03 UTC

hey! i think you're right

because you would say Jack and Stephanie's wedding

instead of Jack's and Stephanie's

randomcelestial August 30 2005, 00:16:56 UTC

no, the difference is that the wedding is not plural. that changes the rule.

ghostofchance August 30 2005, 00:21:28 UTC

aieeee! i'm not a grammarian...but i know a few things. this one's different.

i think i'd just find a different way to say the whole damn thing to avoid the confusion.

I attended each sibling's baptism, four in all.

Thread 9

ghostofchance August 29 2005, 23:39:31 UTC

I went to all four of my older brothers' and sisters' baptisms.

but i would take out "four" unless it's all that important that the reader know how many, and change "brothers" and "sisters" to "siblings'"

ghostofchance August 29 2005, 23:41:25 UTC

scratch that...i agree with katoh9

ghostofchance August 30 2005, 00:22:29 UTC

ya know...fuck it. i have know idea what to think now

randomcelestial August 30 2005, 00:26:52 UTC

no idea? :)

Thread 6

*lol* nerak_g August 30 2005, 02:08:27 UTC

..and what I know for sure, especially 'cause my friend stacey's band plays with her next week~ it's Tami HART, rather than Tami Heart >};-)

Re: *lol* slavendermenace August 30 2005, 02:21:19 UTC

HA HA! I know I know I spelled it wrong's!

Re: *lol* nerak_g August 30 2005, 02:30:45 UTC

*LOL Even BIGGER >}:-D

you have four brothers and sisters!? phoenixsinking August 30 2005, 04:08:37 UTC

as in eight total siblings? That's a lot, unless I'm reading it wrong. p.s. I'm hella jealous about missing Cherry so don't tell me about how fun it was.

Re: you have four brothers and sisters!? slavendermenace August 30 2005, 11:35:37 UTC

not four brothers and four sisters, but 4 brothers and sisters...cherry was the fucking bomb! I danced all night like never before and the DJ's were incredible. It couldn't have been any better. But, ya know I am sure what you were doing was enjoyable as well...HA! NOT!

Re: you have four brothers and sisters!? phoenixsinking August 30 2005, 14:59:22 UTC

everytime there is some fun lesbian event going on I have prior engagements, maybe I wasn't meant to be a lesbian. Girls make me nervous anyway. Ugh, but dancing+girls, I'm not sure there is a better past time. Damn you Suzy, damn you and your wild lesbian gatherings.