Dan Sugalksi wrote: > > VMS's (and yes, for the grammar wonks, that apostrophe is actually > correct)
I'd lay even odds that VMS would qualify for the "ancient proper names" exception... William Strunk, Jr. (1869-1946). The Elements of Style. 1918. > > II. ELEMENTARY RULES OF USAGE > > Form the possessive singular of nouns with 's. > Follow this rule whatever the final consonant. Thus write, > > Charles's friend > Burns's poems > the witch's malice > > > This is the usage of the United States Government Printing > Office and of the Oxford University Press. > > Exceptions are the possessives of ancient proper names in -es > and -is, the possessive Jesus', and such forms as for conscience' > sake, for righteousness' sake. But such forms as Achilles' heel, > Moses' laws, Isis' temple are commonly replaced by > > the heel of Achilles > the laws of Moses > the temple of Isis > > > The pronominal possessives hers, its, theirs, yours, and oneself > have no apostrophe. -- Garrett Goebel IS Development Specialist ScriptPro Direct: 913.403.5261 5828 Reeds Road Main: 913.384.1008 Mission, KS 66202 Fax: 913.384.2180 www.scriptpro.com garrett at scriptpro dot com
