Jeff Allen France Local time: 18:49 Member (2011) English to Haitian-Creole + ...
linguistic description of the s-genitive
Dec 31, 2005
In reading over this thread, and the Kudoz thread on the topic of English s-genitive, it appears that most posters are taking a writing surface-level, synchronic (snapshot today), view rather than seeing that the current written form results from a diachronic, historical linguistic perspective of the English language. The key areas are morpho-phonology (ie, pronunciation rules at word boundaries) and morpho-syntax (how word boundaries affect word classes in a sentence/utterance).
the key words I used to search on the web are:
s-genitive
of-phrase
clitic
morpho-phonology
morpho-syntax
* And then specificially on the topic of the English s-genitive and of-phrase
One of the key authors on this topic is:
Anette Rosenbach: Aspects of iconicity and economy in the choice between the s-genitive and the of-genitive in English
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Jeff Allen France Local time: 18:49 Member (2011) English to Haitian-Creole + ...
postings crossed paths
Dec 31, 2005
Richard Creech wrote:
The apostrophe always occurs in the possessive form of non-pronominal nouns. What varies is the /s/ morpheme. The rule that tricks up many people concerns the useage of the /s/ morpheme in genitive plurals, where preferred usage calls for the addition of /s/ ONLY when it is articulated as an independent syllable.
Our postings crossed paths.
Mine posting points to presentations and paper on the /s/ phoneme and how it is influenced by morphophonemics.
Jeff
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xxxMarc P Germany Local time: 18:49 German to English + ...
The Saxon Genitive
Dec 31, 2005
Walter Landesman wrote:
"As far as I recall, that is correct only for plurals. You always need the "´s" in singulars, even when ending with a "s". Examples:
The Joneses` house
Mr. Jones´s car
the princess`s dress
According to Lynne Truss's "Eats, Shoots and Leaves", in turn citing Fowler:
With modern names ending in "s" (including biblical names, and any foreign name with an unpronounced final "s") the "s" is required after the apostrophe:
Keats's poems
Philippa Jones's book
St James's Square
Alexander Dumas's "The Three Musketeers"
With names from the ancient world, it is not:
Archimedes' screw
Achilles' heel
If the name ends in an "iz" sound, an exception is made":
Bridges' score
Moses' tablets
And an exception is always made for Jesus:
Jesus' desciples
Truss, though, regards these as matters of style and preference, pointing out that many but not all American newspapers prefer "Connors' forehand" to "Connors's forehand". "Consulting a dozen or so recently published punctuation guides, I can report that they contain minor disagreements on virtually all aspects of the above [punctuation rules] and that their only genuine consistency is in using Keats's poems as the prime example. Strange, but true. They just can't leave Keats alone. 'It is "Keats' poems (NOT Keats's),' they thunder. Or alternatively: 'It is Keats's poems (NOT) Keats').' Well, poor old Keats, you can't help thinking. No wonder he developed that cough."
HTH,
Marc
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Refugio United States Local time: 09:49 Spanish to English + ...
Your editor is right
Dec 31, 2005
Your editor sounds like a native speaker, who as such understands that English often has more than one correct grammatical form or spelling in any given case. I was taught in "grammar school" that every "rule" in English has exceptions ("the exception proves the rule"). These remarks do not contradict all the preceding erudite commentary, which of course is not wrong. Written English in general tends to be strongly guided by regionalisms, quirky individual preferences, and above all the spoken sound. I, for one, would never say Keats's poems; thus, I would never write it.
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Jeff Allen France Local time: 18:49 Member (2011) English to Haitian-Creole + ...
influences on English language
Jan 1, 2006
Ruth Henderson wrote:
Written English in general tends to be strongly guided by regionalisms, quirky individual preferences, and above all the spoken sound.
Yes, written English tends to be highly influenced by spoken English, and especially via the media (TV, radio, etc).
Jeff
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