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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage

?? Many years' experience vs. Many years experience ??

Hi there,
I'm a translator, and I've been writing "many years' experience" for - well, for many years. Today, a client asked me if I used the apostrophe because the phrase was a contraction of "many years of experience".
I thought it indicated the possessive and promised to do further research. Problem is, Googling the phrase won't work because Google ignores punctuation.
Does anyone know, first of all, is this even acceptable usage? If so, am I using the possessive or a contraction?
The reason why this is important is that the client doesn't want me to use contractions in this particular text. As it is a marketing text, the phrase pops up everywhere. I'd have to go back to do some revising if the use of the apostrophe is incorrect.
I'd also be grateful for any pointers on standard grammars written for writers who have little or no interest in deep-structure linguistics or Saussure. You know, something I can put on my desk and use as a reference when it's midnight and I need someone to tell me exactly where to put that *** comma.
Thanks in advance,
Damian
  

Top answer

[nq:1]Hi there, I'm a translator, and I've been writing "many years' experience" for - well, for many years. Today, a ... Googling the phrase won't work because Google ignores punctuation.

  • [nq:1]Hi there, I'm a translator, and I've been writing "many years' experience" for - well, for many years.
  • Today, a ...
  • Googling the phrase won't work because Google ignores punctuation.
  • [/nq] Yes it is.
  • No question.
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3 Answers
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[nq:1]Hi there, I'm a translator, and I've been writing "many years' experience" for - well, for many years. Today, a ... Googling the phrase won't work because Google ignores punctuation. Does anyone know, first of all, is this even acceptable usage?[/nq]
Yes it is. No question.
[nq:1]If so, am I using the possessive or a contraction?[/nq]
You are using the English genitive plural. Th
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Robert is correct in every particular, including the suspicion that some wrong-headed people will tell you the apostrophe is not needed.

Another resource for grammar and punctuation advice that's easy to use is http://ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ It's not perfect nothing is but
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I always assumed that the s-apostrophe in "years' " is more correct. The reason is does not often appear is that (a) that the apostrophe is often misunderstood and perhaps for that reason (b) it is falling out of fashion.

Oxford English (p.47) states that
"expressions such as
a fortnight's holiday
your money's worth
two weeks' holiday
contain possessives and SHOULD (my

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