Ross's

Here you can discuss all things Latin. Use this board to ask questions about grammar, discuss learning strategies, get help with a difficult passage of Latin, and more.
Post Reply
Lavrentivs
Textkit Fan
Posts: 226
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 6:50 pm

Ross's

Post by Lavrentivs »

When one pronounces Ross' Rosses, should one not write Ross's (if not Rosses)?

Since the apostrophe used to be an e, should it not (really) be: Loves Labour's Lost? (Love's < Lovees.)

Damoetas
Textkit Fan
Posts: 231
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2009 6:31 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: Ross's

Post by Damoetas »

You can find the rules of apostrophe usage in any grammar book or website: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=English+apostrophe+usage

As for the historical claim that "the apostrophe used to be an e," yes, that's true, but you can't replace it with a simple mechanical formula. In older English, the forms of "love" were love (simple) and loves (possessive), and the possessive form was pronounced as two syllables. After the pronunciation changed, the writing convention was eventually changed also: the -es in the possessive form was changed to -'s.
Dic mihi, Damoeta, 'cuium pecus' anne Latinum?

Lavrentivs
Textkit Fan
Posts: 226
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 6:50 pm

Re: Ross's

Post by Lavrentivs »

Great. I'm sure we learned that words ending in s should only have an apostrophe with no additional s behind it; glad to see that that was wrong.

Post Reply