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Plural of an abbreviation

Plural of an abbreviation

Plural of an abbreviation

(OP)
What is the consensus out there -i  the the plural of (for example) "CT" written as "CTs" or as "CT's"?

I prefer CTs, if only because it doesn't conflict with the possessive form.

Bung
Life is non-linear...

RE: Plural of an abbreviation

Ah! Apostrophes are a pet peeve of mine. I am with you Bung. Only used for possessive or a contraction. Never for a plural.

TVs, PLCs, BMWs are definitely correct in my opinion. The abbreviation in upper case and the "s" in lower case.

However 90% of the signwriters will disagree with me. They like to use as many apostrophes as possible on the off chance that one might be in the right place.

Jeff

RE: Plural of an abbreviation

Fowler's refers to "The Grocer's Apostrophe", being a reference to sign-writers who seem to be unable to use an "s" anywhere without putting an apostrophe in front of it! The only places for an apostrophe are:

a) To indicate the possessive case (apart from "its").

b) To indicate one or more omitted letters (like "can't", etc). Quite why the contraction "it's" (for "it is") gets to keep the apostrophe, whereas the possessive "its" misses out I am not sure, but at least it makes it possible to tell the two words apart. (Not that that seems to be a binding principle of the English language!)

RE: Plural of an abbreviation

I recall we did this topic a while ago and reached the general consensus of no apostrophe.

RE: Plural of an abbreviation

OT: Anybody remember Frank Zappa's album, Apostrophe' ?

RE: Plural of an abbreviation

Good question, Bung.
It's uncertain what or who is the "governing authority" on language.  What works in the US might not work in the UK.  I found the following rules at
http://essayinfo.com/sguides/abbreviations.php


"To form most common plural abbreviations, add an s: ABCs, CDs, chaps., Drs., IOUs, TVs, UFOs. Sometimes, an apostrophe may go before the s: when the abbreviation has internal periods (M.A.'s, M.B.A.'s, Ph.D.'s), when the abbreviation is composed of lowercase letters (pdf's), when the abbreviation is a single letter (A's, S's) and when the abbreviation would be confusing if only the s were added (OWS's instead of OWSs). In the last example, if your readers might misinterpret an abbreviation like OWS's as showing possession, leave out the apostrophe."

RE: Plural of an abbreviation

I saw a lovely example on the UK terestrial TV a few nights ago.

The sub title (subtitle?) read "Were having trouble with the sound" instead of "We're having trouble with the sound"

StephenA

RE: Plural of an abbreviation

(OP)
now don't you eat that yellow snow, TheTick.  Maybe signwriters hope the apostrophe will cure their asthma too?

Bung
Life is non-linear...

RE: Plural of an abbreviation

StephenA,

An alternative possibility is that they HAD been having trouble with the sound, but they were now giving you a message to indicate the problem had been fixed!

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