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submitted 1 week ago by OttoVonNoob@lemmy.ca to c/memes@lemmy.world
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[-] blackluster117@possumpat.io 46 points 1 week ago
[-] Please_Do_Not@lemm.ee 31 points 1 week ago

Folks should just remember that apostrophes are never used to pluralize. Of course there are like 2 exceptions, but better to be right 98 times out of 100 than guess every time.

[-] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 week ago

And even the exception is pretty rare: you use ' when pluralizing a lower-case letter. For instance, "There are two i's in pluralizing." The reason is obvious: you could wind up creating a different and confusing word. But how often do you even need to do that?

[-] Please_Do_Not@lemm.ee 6 points 1 week ago

That and, depending on the stylebook you use, some specific words and uppercase letters that could be considered confusing when pluralized, like "Oakland A's" and "Do's and Don'ts" (according to AP, while I much prefer Chicago's guidelines).

[-] BangersAndMash@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Wow, I've probably seen it a million times but never noticed, but "don'ts" just looks so wrong. "Dont's"? "Don't's"? "Donts"? AAAAAAAHHHHH

[-] toynbee@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

Also acronyms, again depending on whom you ask. At least based on my own instincts and online searching.

[-] Please_Do_Not@lemm.ee 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

While your instincts may say so, not according to any one of the major style guides (AP, MLA, Chicago, NYT, APA, Columbia). An apostrophe is only added for possessives rather than plurals with acronyms, but a lot of people still add them erroneously. Most sources online will say "don't do it but some people do by mistake."

this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2024
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