Grammar question

[LaRascasse]

"The Belvedere's come from old money, one of the richest families in Brooklyn."

"The Belvederes come from old money, one of the richest families in Brooklyn."

Which one is right?

 

[PennLady]

The second one. You want plural, not possessive.

 

[Bramblethorn]

"The Belvedere's come from old money, one of the richest families in Brooklyn."

"The Belvederes come from old money, one of the richest families in Brooklyn."

Which one is right?

"Belvederes". Apostrophes are used to indicate contraction ("is not" -> "isn't", "it is" -> "it's") and possession ("Jane's car" - although, note that possessive "its" doesn't get an apostrophe.)

They should never be used for forming plurals.

 

[patientlee]

"The Belvedere's come from old money, one of the richest families in Brooklyn."

"The Belvederes come from old money, one of the richest families in Brooklyn."

Which one is right?

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/plurals.htm

 

[LaRascasse]

"Belvederes". Apostrophes are used to indicate contraction ("is not" -> "isn't", "it is" -> "it's") and possession ("Jane's car" - although, note that possessive "its" doesn't get an apostrophe.)

They should never be used for forming plurals.

I remember reading things like EMT's and SME's and other such plurals in quite a few places. In fact I think I've read EMT's more often than EMTs.

 

[1sickbastard]

I remember reading things like EMT's and SME's and other such plurals in quite a few places. In fact I think I've read EMT's more often than EMTs.

And grammatically speaking, those are incorrect.
However, it does have to be noted that grammar, as part and parcel of language, is in a constant state of evolution which is determined by common use.

 

[sr71plt]

I remember reading things like EMT's and SME's and other such plurals in quite a few places. In fact I think I've read EMT's more often than EMTs.

That (EMT's) was an accepted variant for abbreviations decades ago, but no longer. The only exception is for the plurals of lower cased letters rendered as letters (e.g., "mind your p's and q's"; "Algebra concerns x's and y's") (Chicago Manual of Style 7.14)

 

[Handley_Page]

And grammatically speaking, those are incorrect.
However, it does have to be noted that grammar, as part and parcel of language, is in a constant state of evolution which is determined by common use.

And determined ignorance, lack of decent teaching, text-speak & stupidity. ?
Just a thought.

 

[sr71plt]

You forgot the "it's all about me" self-centered author syndrome.

 

[i_would]

However, it does have to be noted that grammar, as part and parcel of language, is in a constant state of evolution which is determined by common use.

Language changes, and it are mostly words that change. Grammar, not so much. Look at old English text, and while the words look very strange (word use and spelling change fast), the grammar is very much the same as it is now. Similar to dialects: words themselves change much faster than the order in which they appear.

In this case: 's vs. s for plural, it's as much a spelling issue as it is grammar issue: the pronunciation doesn't change.