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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Usage

Troublesome apostrophe.

In the book "Eats Shoots and Leaves", Lynn Truss raises the example of "two weeks vacation" (1), which, she argues, should be "two weeks' vacation". She is adamant that there ought to be an apostrophe after the "s" of "weeks".
But is she right? There are two reasons why I doubt what she says :-
1. This is not an example of the possessive case. The vacation does **** to the two weeks. At most, there is an adjectival association between "vacation" and "two weeks". Does an adjectival association merit the use of an apostrophe? It seems to me that a logical extension of what Lynn Truss has said would be the assertion that "lorry driver" is grammatically incorrect, and that we should say "lorry's driver". "Two weeks" is to "lorry", as "vacation" is to "driver". (Brings back memories of my eleven-plus examination).
2. There are many examples of situations where the similar use of anapostrophe seems to be incorrect. Although I would write "Einstein's Theory", as soon as I include the definite article I would want to write "the Einstein Theory", without the apostrophe-s. For example, I might write "The experiment was designed to test the Einstein Theory of Gravitation". There is a much greater degree of possession between Einstein and his theory than there is between "two weeks" and "vacation", yet "the Einstein Theory" seems correct without an apostrophe. At any rate, it seems correct to me.

I met a similar problem a few days ago, when I was the only respondent to Matti Lamprhey's posting "Contain Nuts". In that reply, I was unsure whether to write "Ames Room" or "Ames' Room".
(1) Or something similar. The book is now back in the library, and I cannot refer to it.
Richard Chambers Leeds UK.
  

Top answer

[nq:1]2. There are many examples of situations where the similar use of an apostrophe seems to be incorrect. Although I ...

  • [nq:1]2.
  • There are many examples of situations where the similar use of an apostrophe seems to be incorrect.
  • Although I ...
  • weeks" and "vacation", yet "the Einstein Theory" seems correct without an apostrophe.
  • [/nq] Use this to judge what is correct.
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24 Answers
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[nq:1]2. There are many examples of situations where the similar use of an apostrophe seems to be incorrect. Although I ... weeks" and "vacation", yet "the Einstein Theory" seems correct without an apostrophe. At any rate, it seems correct to me.[/nq]
Use this to judge what is correct. Suppose the vacation were only one week long.
If you would say "a week vacation", say "two weeks vacation
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[nq:1]In the book "Eats Shoots and Leaves", Lynn Truss raises the example of "two weeks vacation" (1), which, she argues, ... say "lorry's driver". "Two weeks" is to "lorry", as "vacation" is to "driver". (Brings back memories of my eleven-plus examination).[/nq]
I think "a two-week vacation" would be the best way to handle it.

If you have to have that "s" in there, then read it as "t
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On 04 Jan 2005 04:33:12 -0800, William R Ward
[nq:2]In the book "Eats Shoots and Leaves", Lynn Truss raises ... case. The vacation does not belong to the two weeks.[/nq]
That is a good example of a common error: The genitive case does not always imply possession. The apostrophe makes "two weeks" genitive, but not possessive. See
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[nq:1] Use this to judge what is correct. Suppose the vacation were only one week long. If you would say "a week vacation", say "two weeks vacation". If you would say "a week's vacation, say "two weeks' vacation".[/nq]
Trouble is that I might say, with equal correctness, either "a one-week vacation", or
"one week's vacation".
I took a one-week vacation in July.
I'm taking one week'
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[nq:1] Use this to judge what is correct. Suppose the vacation were only one week long. If you would say "a week vacation", say "two weeks vacation". If you would say "a week's vacation, say "two weeks' vacation".[/nq]
Trouble is that I might say, with equal correctness, either "a one-week vacation", or
"one week's vacation".
I took a one-week vacation in July.
I'm taking one week'
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[nq:1]I also think Lynn Truss's insistence on an apostrophe after "two weeks" is exceptionable. I wouldn't write "a two weeks' vacation", but I might write "a two-weeks' vacation" ... probably not, though.[/nq]
An interesting post, thank you. However, I am a bit puzzled by what you are saying in this last paragraph.
"a two weeks' vacation"
"a two-weeks' vacation"
Is this possibly a
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[nq:2]I also think Lynn Truss's insistence on an apostrophe after ... I might write "a two-weeks' vacation" ... probably not, though.[/nq]
[nq:1]An interesting post, thank you. However, I am a bit puzzled by what you are saying in this last paragraph. "a two weeks' vacation" "a two-weeks' vacation" Is this possibly a typing error? Did you intend the apostrophe in the second version? If so, why
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[nq:1] Depending upon whether I see "two weeks" as a possessive, or as an adjectival modifier, I feel that it ... Adjectival. Vacation? What sort of vacation? One that is taken around 25 Decenber. A Christmas vacation. Adjectival, exactly as above.[/nq]
I don't think you'd express the adjectival version as "a two weeks vacation" it would be "a two-week vacation". Truss isn't saying that this i
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[nq:2]I also think Lynn Truss's insistence on an apostrophe after ... I might write "a two-weeks' vacation" ... probably not, though.[/nq]
[nq:1]An interesting post, thank you. However, I am a bit puzzled by what you are saying in this last paragraph. "a two weeks' vacation" "a two-weeks' vacation" Is this possibly a typing error? Did you intend the apostrophe in the second version?[/nq]
Y
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"William R Ward" (Email Removed)
[nq:2]2. There are many examples of situations where the similar ... without an apostrophe. At any rate, it seems correct tome.[/nq]
[nq:1]I would say "...to test Einstein's Theory of Gravitation." Why would you want to say "the Einstein Theory" at all? [/nq]
I cannot find my old university textbooks on relativity, but I am fairly confident that if "Ein

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