>> I'm loving how they mix "week's" and "weeks'". Mmm, nice grammar.

For 5 points, somebody tell me which one of those is the *correct* one 
given the intended meaning. [Yes, they mean different things. No, you 
can't just pick whichever one you fancy...]

> Hey, I've been meaning to mention, you'd make a good writer.  Seriously, 
> you use the English language quite well.

Really? Apart from the minor detail that I can't spell? (Indeed, that 
guy fron Finland can spell English words better than I can...)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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On Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:53:53 +0000, Orchid XP v7 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:

>
>For 5 points, somebody tell me which one of those is the *correct* one 
>given the intended meaning. [Yes, they mean different things. No, you 
>can't just pick whichever one you fancy...]

The rule is: apostrophe "s" if it belongs to the word. Plain "s" if it is a
plural.

Regards
	Stephen

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Stephen wrote:
> On Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:53:53 +0000, Orchid XP v7 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> 
>> For 5 points, somebody tell me which one of those is the *correct* one 
>> given the intended meaning. [Yes, they mean different things. No, you 
>> can't just pick whichever one you fancy...]
> 
> The rule is: apostrophe "s" if it belongs to the word. Plain "s" if it is a
> plural.

And if it belongs *and* is plural... apostrophe *after* the S. (But not 
a lot of people know that.)

So it should, in fact, be "one week's notice" and "four weeks' notice" 
respectively. Interesting how they got it right later but messed up at 
the beginning...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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On Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:53:53 +0000, Orchid XP v7 wrote:

>>> I'm loving how they mix "week's" and "weeks'". Mmm, nice grammar.
> 
> For 5 points, somebody tell me which one of those is the *correct* one
> given the intended meaning. [Yes, they mean different things. No, you
> can't just pick whichever one you fancy...]

Actually, it's "weeks'" - it's a possessive plural.

>> Hey, I've been meaning to mention, you'd make a good writer. 
>> Seriously, you use the English language quite well.
> 
> Really? Apart from the minor detail that I can't spell? (Indeed, that
> guy fron Finland can spell English words better than I can...)

Well, apart from "fron" in the above paragraph, I hadn't noticed your 
inability to spell.  Reading your posts here and in your blog, I've been 
impressed by the quality of writing you turn out.

Besides, spelling and grammar checking are what editors are for. :-)

Jim

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On Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:00:18 +0000, Orchid XP v7 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:

>
>And if it belongs *and* is plural... apostrophe *after* the S. (But not 
>a lot of people know that.)

You did know you wee chantie rascal :)

Regards
	Stephen

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Orchid XP v7 wrote:
> "2.1.1 For the first 6 months
...
> thereafter either party must give
> at least four week's notice if you have been continuously employed for
> up to four years
...
> So... anybody wanna take a guess how much notice I'm supposed to give?
> 
> [For bonus points, speculate how much notice you have to give if you've
> worked for more than 6 months but less than 4 years.]
...

So four weeks' (*) notice should be given for an employment
that has lasted between six months and 4 years.

(*) http://www.grammardoctor.com/archive10.htm#nov03

-- 
Tor Olav
http://subcube.com

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Orchid XP v7 wrote:
> So it should, in fact, be "one week's notice" and "four weeks' notice" 
> respectively. 

Except the notice doesn't belong to the week. It's "four weeks notice" 
and "one week notice". :-)  At least in my experience.

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     On what day did God create the body thetans?

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"Darren New" <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote
> Orchid XP v7 wrote:

> > So it should, in fact, be "one week's notice" and "four weeks' notice"
> > respectively.

> Except the notice doesn't belong to the week.

Unless it's Mr. Week that's quitting.

> It's "four weeks notice" and "one week notice". :-)  At least in my
experience.

The "'s" (i.e. "of") need not always indicate possession; "a day's work"
doesn't mean the day owns the work. A "day's work" is "work _of_ a day('s
worth)", a "week's notice" is "a notice _of_ a week('s duration)"...

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somebody wrote:
> The "'s" (i.e. "of") need not always indicate possession; "a day's work"
> doesn't mean the day owns the work. A "day's work" is "work _of_ a day('s
> worth)", a "week's notice" is "a notice _of_ a week('s duration)"...

Which is possession.  "The property of Tim" is grammatically equivalent 
to "Tim's property".  "A day's work", as shorthand for "a day's worth of 
work", that is to say, is equivalent to "the worth of a day of work"; 
the day possesses the *value* of the work done.

...I think.

I just made myself really confused trying to re-read that, so I'll shut 
up now.

-- 
Tim Cook
http://empyrean.digitalartsuk.com

-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version: 3.12
GFA dpu- s: a?-- C++(++++) U P? L E--- W++(+++)>$
N++ o? K- w(+) O? M-(--) V? PS+(+++) PE(--) Y(--)
PGP-(--) t* 5++>+++++ X+ R* tv+ b++(+++) DI
D++(---) G(++) e*>++ h+ !r--- !y--
------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------

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Tim Cook <z99### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> Which is possession.  "The property of Tim" is grammatically equivalent 
> to "Tim's property".  "A day's work", as shorthand for "a day's worth of 
> work", that is to say, is equivalent to "the worth of a day of work"; 
> the day possesses the *value* of the work done.

  When I was in school they told us that in English "'s" should only be
used with people, otherwise the "of" version should be used. For example,
you shouldn't say "the house's window" but "the window of the house".

  However, I see this "rule" being broken constantly everywhere, so I'm not
at all sure if it really applies, or if it does, when. I have to admit that
for example "a day's work" sounds ok, perhaps even better than "the work of
a day".

  OTOH, there are situations where it's clearly misused. For example,
I have seen "not as scary as you two's faces", which sounds really awkward.
I would say "not as scary as the faces of you two" would be much better.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

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