Where does the apostrophe go?

Smith   Wednesday, April 20, 2005, 01:58 GMT
Typo-''because if it was there''

''because if it wasn't there''
Paul   Wednesday, April 20, 2005, 04:12 GMT
Proper nouns ending in s should have an apostrophe added at the end. An additional s should not be added. ie: James'

Common singular nouns I believe it is correct.
Smith   Wednesday, April 20, 2005, 04:15 GMT
''Proper nouns ending in s should have an apostrophe added at the end. An additional s should not be added. ie: James' ''

''Common singular nouns I believe it is correct.''

No, you're wrong. The rule is that if you add a syllable, you add an ''s'' along with the apostrophe. If you don't add a syllable, then use only the apostrophe.
Tiffany   Wednesday, April 20, 2005, 05:58 GMT
I've never read that. I say "Jaemsiz" but spell it James'.
Deborah   Wednesday, April 20, 2005, 06:11 GMT
<< The rule is that if you add a syllable, you add an ''s'' along with the apostrophe. If you don't add a syllable, then use only the apostrophe. >>

That's what I was trying to say in my post. And I remember now where I read it: in an article about "proper" English by Russell Baker in, I believe, the NY Times Sunday magazine section, at some point when I was living in NY, between 1976 and 1984. He said that many people followed the ruled that if it's a possessive plural, it should be s + apostrophe, but he believed it made more sense to do what Smith said, above.

In the article he took issue with several established ideas about what was, at that time, considered correct punctuation, grammar and usage.
Deborah   Wednesday, April 20, 2005, 06:20 GMT
I think I remembered the above advice about adding an s after the apostrophe as being "official" because Russell Baker is considered an authority on English. Ironically, he didn't consider this to be a rule.
Sanja   Thursday, April 21, 2005, 17:16 GMT
I was taught that (a) is correct.
D   Thursday, April 21, 2005, 22:03 GMT
<< The rule is that if you add a syllable, you add an ''s'' along with the apostrophe. If you don't add a syllable, then use only the apostrophe. >>

The problem with that "rule" is that different speakers pronounce words differently. In a setting like a newspaper with many writers and many editors there would be no way to apply the rule consistently from one story to the next.

Always adding an apostrophe ess to singular nouns is safe and has the benefit of consistency. It also has the approval of the Chicago Manual of Style.
Deborah   Friday, April 22, 2005, 01:16 GMT
I believe the Chicago Manual of Style makes an exception to the "apostrophe + s" rule for names such as Moses, Jesus and Isis.
D   Friday, April 22, 2005, 01:52 GMT
>> I believe the Chicago Manual of Style makes an exception to the "apostrophe + s" rule for names such as Moses, Jesus and Isis. <<

It does. Xerxes gets an exception, too, I think.
Chamonix   Friday, April 22, 2005, 02:04 GMT
If the noun ends in "s" correct is to add just the apostophe, but you pronounce it using "s" after "s" rule =iz.
Same rule for the plural nouns.
Georgina   Friday, April 22, 2005, 06:45 GMT
"If the noun ends in "s" correct is to add just the apostophe, but you pronounce it using "s" after "s" rule =iz."

I agree with that part; I remember reading many letters to newspapers complaining that the film should have been called "Bridget Jones' Diary": sounds the same, but looks a lot better.

"Same rule for the plural nouns."

Not so far as pronunciation goes, unless you pronounce "soldiers' rifles" as "soldierzez rifles".