Word for the Wise

May 02, 2008 Broadcast

Topic: Robert's Rules & rules of apostrophes

Today is Robert's Rules Day, a day to mark the birth, in 1837, of one Henry Martyn Robert. After Robert was disappointed in the way he himself handled a meeting, he resolved to put together a parliamentary guide to help others (and himself) facing similar situations.

But today we come not to put order to Robert but to examine a pesky question often associated with him: where does the apostrophe go in Robert's Rules of Order?

In Robert's Pocket Manual Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies, as it was originally known, the apostrophe comes after the T and before the S. But what if Mr. Robert's name had actually been spelled Roberts? would the apostrophe come after the S and before a second S used to indicate possession?

It depends whom you ask. Traditionally, a name ending with S (let's let Mr. Robert off the hook and turn to Mrs. Jones) takes an apostrophe S to denote possession: Mrs. Jones's classroom. But most authorities recognize that adding an S to a noun that already ends with a sibilant sound can be problematic; consider how odd Jesus's disciples's discussions sounds. These commentators advise dropping the second S and simply using the apostrophe to signify possession in these cases: Mrs. Jones' classroom.

Questions or comments? Write us at wftw@aol.com Production and research support for Word for the Wise comes from Merriam-Webster, publisher of language reference books and Web sites including Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.