I've always used James' and I'm quite sure from what I've read around it's supposedly the correct (or at least, the most mainstream) way of writing it. But i've also seen many people say that there has been more and more instances of James's (and you know, Chris's, Louis's, etc.) popping up.
My question is, is there only one source on this? Is James' the end all, be all answer to this so I can go on writing it happily and feel okay or is there some spelling renaissance I am missing out on and therefore doing it all wrong.
Your advice would make my day. Or something. :D
----------
45,066 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 07 38
Both are considered correct. Even grammar guides can't agree on which one should be the one true proper usage for this. Use whichever one looks right to you.
36,002 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 08 00
Hrm, this is what I thought. Now trying to figure out WHICH looks right to me... ahaha!
Ty for your imput!
40,569 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 15 52
In school, I was taught that the possessive form of a noun is constructed by adding apostrophe-S to the noun, but that for singular nouns that happen to end with S already, the final S is optional.
So, "James's" and "James'" are both technically correct.
However, there is something of a movement afoot to change this, and you'll find editors and publishing houses these days that want to standardize on "apostrophe-s, all the time, every time" for singular possessives. Stephen King says something more or less to this effect in his book "On Writing," and it seems like good advice. If nothing else, it simplifies the writer's job and reduces confusion for readers, and that's a good thing. So I've been trying to get in the habit of doing it this way myself.
----------Lapochka (YA emotional journey / travel adventure):
A young woman searches for her missing father through clues hidden in Soviet-era Russian comic books.
Also check out my writing blog at: http://www.plottopunctuation.com/blog/
43,381 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 16 51
I think that James' looks nicer, and rolls easier off the mind-tongue. James's makes me pronounce it Jamesesesss, or something. Too many 'S's in a row.
----------36,002 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 16 57
However, there is something of a movement afoot to change this, and you'll find editors and publishing houses these days that want to standardize on "apostrophe-s, all the time, every time" for singular possessives. Stephen King says something more or less to this effect in his book "On Writing," and it seems like good advice. If nothing else, it simplifies the writer's job and reduces confusion for readers, and that's a good thing. So I've been trying to get in the habit of doing it this way myself.
Here we go! This was the kinda thing I was questioning. I have "On Writing", but I haven't gotten to that part yet (I haven't read much of it, tbh.). I was wondering if there was a sort of movement to have it one way or the other so it'd make everything easier. I should look though some books I have to see what that use.
But, essentially, it seems that lately James's is the way to go?
Both of them make me almost sick to look at. But I guess this is what happens when you have a MC whose name is James!
19,643 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 17 04
James' has always looked more correct to me. James's just looks too weird, there's just too many "s."
I don't think there's too much confusion to be had between James' and James's to readers. O.o I've never been confused by it, anyway.
----------"Male or female, black, white, yellow, or blue, love who you love, no matter what anyone says. Love is too precious to be deterred by the prejudices of someone else."
Wanna read as I go along? My writing blog: http://themusingsofkit-kit.blogspot.com
1,062 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 17 24
It's really just writer's preference, I think, and I doubt anybody's going to kick too hard whichever one you choose. :P
For the record, I've always gone with the personal rule that if a word or name ends in an S and it's singular, to add the 's (like "James's cat," or "the moss's color" or something, though the latter isn't a perfect example), but if it ends in S because it's plural to just go with the apostrophe (like if a family's last name is Smith, and you're talking about their pool, it being "the Smiths' pool," or "the flowers' scent" or... whatever). It always kinda depended on whether the term I was adding the apostrophe to was singular or plural.
But in the end, just write it the way you're comfortable with writing it! James and your readers will be happy either way, I'm sure. ;)
43,381 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 17 29
You've raised a new point there...
What if there are several Jameses? Is it then James''.
----------35,467 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 18 00
I was taught James' and to be honest James's just looks wrong to me (though I'd imagine if I was taught James's, James' would look wrong to me :D ). I do find that if I even try to type James's I end up doing repeats as in James's' which looks even weirder.
From what I understand both are correct, it's just a matter of which doesn't make you twitch uncomfortably when you look at it. Which is going to be interesting if I ever get published because if they correct all my James' to James's, I won't be able to read my own book without twitching and then eventually throwing it across the room when the twitching gets too much. *lol*
----------You've got red on you....
82,449 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 18 23
James's is correct. It's not actually subjective. The rule is that all proper names that end in "s" get an 's to make it possessive, except for biblical names (when referencing people in the Bible, I mean). So: James's bike, Tess's book, Jesus' cross, Moses' tablets.
(Source is your style manual of choice. I'm an editor, I work in book publishing, I use Chicago Manual as my style reference most of the time.)
----------~Erin
New York City Municipal Liaison
blog | twitter
43,381 / 50,000
Oct 7, 2009 - 18 57
It seems that Strunk and White agree with you, which is what I use.
I still prefer James' though, and will use it unless I plan to get published.
----------40,148 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 00 05
Faced with that situation... I'd prefer to change his name to Jack! :D Or nickname him Jamie at least.
Seriously, I once changed a main character's name on October 31st rather than face a month of that. Plus the posessesive of his name would have rhymed with "asses" and I wasn't having that.
I had a "Russ" in the book last year, so had to deal with Russ' or Russ's, but at least he was a secondary rather than a main character!
41,514 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 01 04
I don't know where it is at the moment, but I believe I remember reading in my copy of "Elements of style" that James' is the preferred form usually.
----------Charles R. Brentner
10,875 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 01 52
Hmm. I never knew anything other than "James'" was correct. I'm used to seeing it that way so I prefer it.
36,002 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 04 54
(Source is your style manual of choice. I'm an editor, I work in book publishing, I use Chicago Manual as my style reference most of the time.)
Oh, thanks for this! I actually hauled over to my copy of Elements of Style and right there on page one it's like CHARLES'S BOOK.
It makes life a little easier for me, esp when I know which is prefered. I get bogged down mentally by these things.
Faced with that situation... I'd prefer to change his name to Jack! :D Or nickname him Jamie at least.
AHAHAH OH, this made me laugh! I have a Jamie in one story I'm considering for NaNo. The other I'm working on? Well, He refuses to be called anything but James.
And he's quite a possessive one!
0 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 06 32
I prefer James', that's how I was taught.
However, if I'm honest, in a book if I saw James's, I'd pronounce it Jameses in my head, whereas if I saw James' I'd probably just pronounce it James. But I am the queen of mispronouncing words in my own head (Hermoine, anyone?) so I'm probably not the best benchmark!
----------"There used to be a greying tower alone on the sea,
You became the light in the darkness for me"
23,159 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 07 27
My question is, is there only one source on this? Is James' the end all, be all answer to this so I can go on writing it happily and feel okay or is there some spelling renaissance I am missing out on and therefore doing it all wrong.
Your advice would make my day. Or something. :D
----------
Given my name is James I'm weighing in on this. If you're showing possession then James' but if you're pluralizing the name then it's James's.
Sounds awkward right?
----------45,066 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 07 38
Goodness, no. Apostrophes shouldn't be used for pluralization. "Jameses", as awkward as it might look, _is_ correct for pluralizing something. See: the movie "Heathers", the phrases "Keeping up with the Joneses", etc.
23,159 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 07 42
Goodness, no. Apostrophes shouldn't be used for pluralization. "Jameses", as awkward as it might look, _is_ correct for pluralizing something. See: the movie "Heathers", the phrases "Keeping up with the Joneses", etc.
err yeah I messed that one up. What keolah said...
James's would be like James + is or some other form of a contraction. Which would just be bad.
----------0 / 50,000
Oct 8, 2009 - 08 00
For possession, I always use "-s's" if it's a singular noun that happens to end with an s, and "-s'" if it's a plural noun. I do this based on pronunciation - at least the way I speak, the possessive forms of singular noun ending in s always have an additional "z" sound after the s, whether that s is pronounced as "s" or "z", while the normal plural and plural possessive forms of nouns that don't end in s generally sound exactly the same.
36,002 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2009 - 05 48
I really apperciate everyone's imput on this! Thanks so much :D.
45,089 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2009 - 14 08
Although the URL below might imply otherwise
http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/st_james_park/
the Royal Parks agree with the view that the correct form is - or can be - James's Even though St James is a biblical figure.
----------2005: The Cheese Gate Guard
2006: The Heron's Bridge
2007: Fair Warning
2009: Valley of Thorns
44,000 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2009 - 18 01
In the most stringent texts, James's would be labeled as correct. It is the rule established by the 19th Century Grammarians.
However, those claiming that James' or James's are acceptable are right. Less prescriptivist guides will point that out.
Oddly enough, I was taught both. In public school, James' was considered correct. However, my CCD teachers would mark answers wrong if the possessive did not contain the full -'s for anyone referred to not in a biblical text. So, Jesus' miracle was correct, James' notebook was not. One particularly strict teacher called the latter sinful.
Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. I've used James' for years, though I've started to play around with James's to let there be no question of what I'm referring to in my writing.
----------http://www.trentsketch.com
1,339 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2009 - 07 10
And James' brother John.
Talk about silly silly grammatical rules
----------"To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it." - Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
2009-Brother Monkey, Brother Lion, Sister Crow2009 -Bunnystar Galactica Psychic Bunnies IN SPACE
0 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2009 - 12 17
I was always taught to write James', because the extra s on the end makes it hard to read, although techinically that's how you say it. Both are right really, whatever you want. I know I'll be sticking to James' (funnily enough that's my MMC's name lol).
----------6,800 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2009 - 15 01
Pronouns are James's
regular nouns are press'
That is the correct "Elements of Style" way to do it.
26,187 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2009 - 13 22
I much prefer James'
My MC is called Nikkos, and I always write Nikkos'.
34,032 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2009 - 16 23
James's is grammatically correct. Style guides defer on this issue, so if I was you, I'd leave it up to an editor if you get published.
----------Mike
NaNo '09: Strings of a Marionette
42,519 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2009 - 05 38
I think James's looks better. James' makes it look like there is more than one Jame and it's a plural possessive.
On a vaguely similar note, I remember a classmate being brought up to the front in primary school because she had written Churche's in her english homework. Now there's some apostrophe abuse...
----------"Instruction on the Conventions of Invention and Construction."
3,917 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2009 - 09 02
But everyone know's apostrophe's are for plural's al'so.