The Conservative Cave

The Bar => The Lounge => Topic started by: SSG Snuggle Bunny on November 05, 2009, 02:26:21 PM

Title: How Come...
Post by: SSG Snuggle Bunny on November 05, 2009, 02:26:21 PM
...when you write a possessive noun you use apostrophe "s" EXCEPT when you use the neutral gender of something, i.e. The lost its toy.

srsly
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: thundley4 on November 05, 2009, 02:32:37 PM
Quote
The lost its toy.

Huh? 
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: debk on November 05, 2009, 02:34:48 PM
The lost its toy.





who is "The"..... :clueless:
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: Eupher on November 05, 2009, 03:08:32 PM
...when you write a possessive noun you use apostrophe "s" EXCEPT when you use the neutral gender of something, i.e. The lost its toy.

srsly

We had this discussion the other day in a different thread, methinks (I don't think you were involved, Snugs).

The word "its" in your example is not a "possessive noun" - it's a possessive pronoun.

And yes, it makes a difference.

srsly



 :-)
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: SSG Snuggle Bunny on November 05, 2009, 09:16:33 PM
Huh? 
Sorry got distracted by people wanting me to do my job or something.

I had meant to write: The baby lost its toy.
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: debk on November 05, 2009, 09:28:11 PM
Sorry got distracted by people wanting me to do my job or something.

I had meant to write: The baby lost its toy.


I was mostly teasing you Snugs...I forgot to add a smilie....sorry. :thatsright:
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: ColonialMarine0431 on November 05, 2009, 11:33:14 PM

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/ColonialMarine/johnnyd2723-albums-ohio-meet-8-09-p.jpg)


 :tongue:
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: DixieBelle on November 06, 2009, 08:11:46 AM
^LOL!
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: BlueStateSaint on November 06, 2009, 12:14:28 PM
CM, I very nearly put a mouthful of pasta on my monitor.

But, back to MSB's point, I think that a possessive pronoun would have its' apostrophe after the "s" and not before it. 
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: docstew on November 06, 2009, 01:19:40 PM
CM, I very nearly put a mouthful of pasta on my monitor.

But, back to MSB's point, I think that a possessive pronoun would have its' apostrophe after the "s" and not before it. 

Not quite. It's = it is.  Its = belonging to it

Rules of usage for apostrophes (http://www.kentlaw.edu/academics/lrw/grinker/LwtaPossessives.htm)
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: jinxmchue on November 06, 2009, 01:30:16 PM
Get the book "Eats, Shoots and Leaves."  It's an excellent and entertaining exploration of punctuation and the people who misuse it.

http://www.amazon.com/Eats-Shoots-Leaves-Tolerance-Punctuation/dp/1592400876

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0b/ES%26L.png)

Yes, that's a panda with a gun on the right.
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: DumbAss Tanker on November 06, 2009, 01:30:27 PM
CM, I very nearly put a mouthful of pasta on my monitor.

But, back to MSB's point, I think that a possessive pronoun would have its' apostrophe after the "s" and not before it. 

No.  Neither "His" nor "Hers" have that, do they?  Possessive pronouns are a different form (Though same as the basic form with an "S" added for neuter and feminine genders, they are really not juut the subjective or objective cases with a suffix added).

It's is a contraction of it is, while its'[/i]uwould confuse the Hell out of people since it looks like a plural form of it with a possessive appostrophe in the normal place for that meaning, but that base is already covered by they/them for the plural of it, and their/theirs for the plural possessive.
Title: Re: How Come...
Post by: BlueStateSaint on November 06, 2009, 03:37:26 PM
No.  Neither "His" nor "Hers" have that, do they?  Possessive pronouns are a different form (Though same as the basic form with an "S" added for neuter and feminine genders, they are really not juut the subjective or objective cases with a suffix added).

It's is a contraction of it is, while its'[/i]uwould confuse the Hell out of people since it looks like a plural form of it with a possessive appostrophe in the normal place for that meaning, but that base is already covered by they/them for the plural of it, and their/theirs for the plural possessive.

I type corrected, then.