Re: esr cut off my genitives

Nicolas Pitre (nico@cam.org)
Sun, 2 Dec 2001 20:01:47 -0500 (EST)


On Sat, 1 Dec 2001, Eric S. Raymond wrote:

> "Windows" is a singular noun. Therefore the correct possessive form
> is "Windows's", not "Windows'" -- the latter would be correct only
> if it were a *plural* noun.
>
> Similarly, the correct possessive form of "James" is not "James'" but
> "James's". This is often gotten wrong in these degenerate times,
> mostly by the same people who confuse "its" with "it's". Etymologically,
> "James's book" is a contraction of "James his book", which is how it
> was done in Middle English (remembering the full form may help one
> keep the rule straight).

Well... According to
http://www.alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxwheret.html
you're not completely right.

Nicolas

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