On Sun, Jul 15, 2001 at 08:38:42PM +0100, Philip Blundell wrote:
> >IMO, this is incorrect. The ('s) is always used for showing plural and
> >possesive on things like "API's" or "80's". It just doesn't make sense
> >without it.
> >
> >Then again, I never cared much for the language part of english class :)
>
> No, James is right. This is the infamous grocers' apostrophe; Fowler's says:
>
> "From the 17c. onwards an apostrophe was often used in the plural number when
> the noun ended in a vowel e.g. grotto's, opera's, toga's. Since the
> mid-19c.,
> grammarians have condemned this use, but it continues to appear, to the
> amusement of educated people, in signs and notices, especially in shop
> windows."
No, we aren't talking about nouns, we are talking about acronyms. The above
does not pertain to this use.
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