0
Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Pronunciation of possessive proper nouns
Greetings from Memphis, TN. I am hoping you can help clarify a matter that continues to provide me much consternation.
When I moved to Memphis in the seventies to work for a radio station our copy writer emphatically instructed me to pronounce the possessive form of our city without adding an -es at the end. MEMPHIS' BEST MUSIC was to be pronounced "Memphis", not "Memphis-es".
Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one who got that instruction. As a radio listener now I continually hear announcers tell me about "Memphis-es finest restaurant" or "Memphis-es best car dealer".
Is there a standard way to pronounce the possessive form of names ending with an S ?
I really want to know if I've been misinformed all of these years!
Thanks!
Rick
When I moved to Memphis in the seventies to work for a radio station our copy writer emphatically instructed me to pronounce the possessive form of our city without adding an -es at the end. MEMPHIS' BEST MUSIC was to be pronounced "Memphis", not "Memphis-es".
Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one who got that instruction. As a radio listener now I continually hear announcers tell me about "Memphis-es finest restaurant" or "Memphis-es best car dealer".
Is there a standard way to pronounce the possessive form of names ending with an S ?
I really want to know if I've been misinformed all of these years!
Thanks!
Rick
Top answer
Hi, I don't think you were misinformed, but I think you were told something from a style that was current then, and never updated to match the current use. , etc. I personally would always, always write Memphis's and say Memphis-izz.
- Hi, I don't think you were misinformed, but I think you were told something from a style that was current then, and never updated to match the current use.
- , etc.
- I personally would always, always write Memphis's and say Memphis-izz.
- Elvis is Memphisizz best-known son, Memphisizz barbecue is different from—but every bit as good as—Austin's, etc.
- Other native speakers may not.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
1 Answers
0
Hi,
I don't think you were misinformed, but I think you were told something from a style that was current then, and never updated to match the current use.
You'll find thread after thread after thread on this forum about "The Jonseses' dog" or "Tom Jones's wife" or "James's pencil" etc., etc.
I personally would always, always write Memphis's and say Memphis-izz. Elvis is Mem
I don't think you were misinformed, but I think you were told something from a style that was current then, and never updated to match the current use.
You'll find thread after thread after thread on this forum about "The Jonseses' dog" or "Tom Jones's wife" or "James's pencil" etc., etc.
I personally would always, always write Memphis's and say Memphis-izz. Elvis is Mem
0
Related Questions