Apostrophe question

[hulagirl87]

Ok, so I'm confused

I tried to google this but couldn't find a straight answer. I'm hoping you guys can offer some insight on this. DD's name ends with an "s". With her first birthday coming up we are going to be sending out invitations. How do you write the name? It's Carys. So will it be Carys' First Birthday or Carys's First Birthday. I think the first way is right but it just looks funny, like I forgot something, or left a letter off. This is what we get for naming our daughter a name that ends with an "S". man, the stress

Thanks for your help!! sorry such a silly question! I asked DH for help and his first response was "I don't know, but ask the disboards, they'll know!"

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

Ok, so I'm confused

I tried to google this but couldn't find a straight answer. I'm hoping you guys can offer some insight on this. DD's name ends with an "s". With her first birthday coming up we are going to be sending out invitations. How do you write the name? It's Carys. So will it be Carys' First Birthday or Carys's First Birthday. I think the first way is right but it just looks funny, like I forgot something, or left a letter off. This is what we get for naming our daughter a name that ends with an "S". man, the stress

Thanks for your help!! sorry such a silly question! I asked DH for help and his first response was "I don't know, but ask the disboards, they'll know!"

I would use Carys's birthday (which is also how I'd say it...'CAR-is-is birthday'). While English rules do allow you sometimes to leave off the extra sibilant s if it's awkward to say, I don't really think that's the case here (and it's never incorrect to include it).

 

[rie'smom]

Carys' First Birthday but Carys's is acceptable too.

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

Carys' First Birthday

Hehehe....OP, maybe you should have started a poll!

 

[krcit]

Carys' First Birthday.


Pretty name!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Either is acceptable, but (ignoring everybody above who doesn't agree with my reasoning ) it makes more sense to use apostophe s. You'd use that form if her name ended with any other letter, right? So it's reasonable to use the same format for all name-ending letters, or letter-ending names.

So, Carys's is sensible. But if you want to use Carys', that's okay, too.

Signed,
Kaytieeldr
Honorary Member
Mensa Grammar Police

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

The rule is to add the 's when the "s" is pronounced (with the exception of Biblical names so Jesus's is how it is pronounced, but the extra "s" is not included due to the exception; correctly written is Jesus'.)

The Bronchos' final score was surprising.
Frederick Douglass's book is quite popular.

It depends on the pronunciation.

 

[3smithboys]

It is Carys's. If there was more than one person with the same name then it would be Carys'.

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

I found this to add to the debate!

...With singular proper names ending in -s, insists the AP Stylebook, "Use only an apostrophe: Achilles' heel, Agnes' book, Ceres' rites"--a ruling upheld by the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA Guide).

Not so fast, say most of the other guides. According to The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage (1999), "Almost all singular words ending in s require a second s as well as the apostrophe to form the possessive: James's; Chris's; The Times's."

And in this case, The Chicago Manual of Style agrees with the Times Manual. So does The Economist Style Guide (2005): "With singular words and names that end in s: use the normal possessive ending 's: boss's, St. James's, caucus's, Jones's, Delors's, Shanks's."

Most college writing handbooks also advocate the addition of s after the apostrophe--though The Blair Handbook (2003) does include an escape clause: "For singular nouns ending in s, it is always correct to form the possessive by adding both an apostrophe and -s. However, if pronouncing the additional syllable is awkward--as with last names that sound like plurals--some writers add only an apostrophe."

http://grammar.about.com/b/2008/01/21/questions-of-style-james-web-site-or-jamess-website.htm

I think you can safely go with either form since even the experts can't agree on it!

 

[hulagirl87]

Thanks for your replies everyone!! I think that I am going to go with Carys's partly because I think it's right and partly because I think it looks better

 

[C.Ann]

Carys' First Birthday but Carys's is acceptable too.

Carys' First Birthday.


Pretty name!!!

I think these are the correct way to spell it - but I'm not an expert and don't claim to be..

Do whatever you're comfortable with.. And -

"Happy First Birthday to Cary!!!"

I love first birthdays - they're so much fun!

 

[BunsenH]

Here is Chris' opinion.

Use Carys'.

 

[SpecialK]

The rule is to add the 's when the "s" is pronounced (with the exception of Biblical names so Jesus's is how it is pronounced, but the extra "s" is not included due to the exception; correctly written is Jesus'.)

The cars' trunks would not open due to a defect.
Frederick Douglass's book is quite popular.

It depends on the pronunciation.

Singular words take 's to become possessive. Plural words that end in s take only an apostrophe; plural words that do not end in s take an apostrophe s.

Pronunciation doesn't really figure into it.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Definitely 's.

Her first name is Carys, right? Any singular noun, whether it ends in s or not, gets an 's to show possession. You put s' when showing possession on a plural noun.

Examples with names:

Tom's birthday
Chris's birthday
Gabby's birthday
Tess's birthday
Carys's birthday

If her name was just "Cary" it would be Cary's birthday.

Let's say there was a birthday for twins, since it's plural, you would use s'
You wouldn't say the twins's birthday.
It would be the twins' birthday.

 

[3smithboys]

Definitely 's.

Her first name is Carys, right? Any singular noun, whether it ends in s or not, gets an 's to show possession. You put s' when showing possession on a plural noun.

Examples with names:

Tom's birthday
Chris's birthday
Gabby's birthday
Tess's birthday
Carys's birthday

If her name was just "Cary" it would be Cary's birthday.

Let's say there was a birthday for twins, since it's plural, you would use s'
You wouldn't say the twins's birthday.
It would be the twins' birthday.

Exactly.... that is how the grammar book that I use to teach from pretty much explains it too...

 

[hulagirl87]

Here is Chris' opinion.

Use Carys'.

this made me laugh

 

[dismom2]

I found this to add to the debate!



http://grammar.about.com/b/2008/01/21/questions-of-style-james-web-site-or-jamess-website.htm

I think you can safely go with either form since even the experts can't agree on it!

This is so confusing to me. I have looked up many grammar questions over the years and have seen various conflicting answers from 'experts'. Does anybody know the best book or website to get the most accurate answers?

 

[FireDancer]

Just go with whichever you would like. If any of Carys's (or Carys') friends or their parents find it objectionable perhaps it is time to find less anal friends.