Sainsburys?

Question

What do the grammar and usage books says about the use of the apostrophe in the names of shops and businesses such as SAINSBURYS / HARRODS / FORTNUMS and so on?
Some companies use an apostrophe, others don't.
Any comments?
MB

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What do the grammar and usage books says about the use of the apostrophe in the
[nq:1]names of shops and businesses such as SAINSBURYS / HARRODS / FORTNUMS andso on? Some companies use an apostrophe, others don't. Any comments? MB[/nq]
You use the spelling which the company itself uses, for the names of companies and the names of products and services. Thus, British films made using "Technicolor" say "Filmed in Technicolor," "Barnes & Noble" is spelled with an ampersand ( but www.barnesandnoble.com for the Web site), and "Tastee" brand bread is spelled thus.

Raymond S. Wise
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]What do the grammar and usage books says about the use of the apostrophe in the names of shops and businesses such as SAINSBURYS / HARRODS / FORTNUMS and so on? Some companies use an apostrophe, others don't.[/nq]
I suspect that the authors of grammar and usage books accept, through gritted teeth, that the owners of businesses can choose to spell the names however they wish.
The Sainsbury websites use two spellings
J Sainsbury plc - the corporate site
Sainsbury's - the retail sites
ISTR the stores have the sign SAINSBURY.
Fortnum's is a nickname for Fortnum and Mason plc. I'd guess that the company uses the full name or "F&M". Fortnums might be used in speech - but who can hear the dropped apostrophe!

Peter Duncanson
UK
(posting from a.e.u)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]What do the grammar and usage books says about the ... and so on? Some companies use an apostrophe, others don't.[/nq]
[nq:1]I suspect that the authors of grammar and usage books accept, through gritted teeth, that the owners of businesses can ... uses the full name or "F&M". Fortnums might be used in speech - but who can hear the dropped apostrophe![/nq]
Drat!
I've just looked at the Fortnum website.
The history pages use the spelling "Fortnums" for the short form consistently.
Also however:
"In the 1970's Fortnums was the first..."
"...the new Queens review of 6000 troops..."

Peter Duncanson
UK
(posting from a.e.u)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The Sainsbury websites use two spellings J Sainsbury plc - the corporate site Sainsbury's - the retail sites ISTR the stores have the sign SAINSBURY.[/nq]
Apparently not:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1465000/images/ 1467114 sainsburys300.jpg
But it would appear they do (or did) vary it:

However, I don't know how old all of these images are.
The one near my office is a "Sainsbury's local".

dave thorn

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]What do the grammar and usage books says about the use of the apostrophe in the names of shops and businesses such as SAINSBURYS / HARRODS / FORTNUMS and so on? Some companies use an apostrophe, others don't.[/nq]
I hope that someone with more business or law experience will correct any misconceptions that I have regarding this. I've heard that sometimes a corporation will allow itself to become defunct, but will operate under a new name which is very similar.
A new corporation could be formed by changing the name minimally. For example, an apostrophe (or a comma before the word "Inc.") could be inserted or deleted. I wish I could provide some historical examples. Offhand, I can't think of a reason a corporation would do this.

Mike Bandy

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[nq:2]What do the grammar and usage books says about the ... and so on? Some companies use an apostrophe, others don't.[/nq]
[nq:1]I hope that someone with more business or law experience will correct any misconceptions that I have regarding this. I've heard that sometimes a corporation will allow itself to become defunct, but will operate under a new name which is very similar.[/nq]
The mounting cost of developing the RB211 engine for the Lockheed Tristar caused Rolls-Royce Ltd (the engine company, not Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd) to go into receivership. The British government rescued it in 1971, and it was reincarnated as Rolls-Royce (1971) Ltd. It used to be fairly common to see business names following that kind of pattern.
[nq:1]A new corporation could be formed by changing the name minimally. For example, an apostrophe (or a comma before the ... I wish I could provide some historical examples. Offhand, I can't think of a reason a corporation would do this.[/nq]
I don't think it would be a sufficient differentiator under British passing-off law.
Matti

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