Trouvez des professeurs en Anglais
Kseniia
James' and James's pronunciation
Hello!
I've read some discussions about the use of apostrophe in a possessive form and I think there is still no consensus about the names ending in -s or -ss. For example, in this Fandom Wiki article (http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/James_Potter_I) about a character of Harry Potter series (Harry Potter's father) "James's" was used 22 times, "James' " - 16 times, and I guess there's no clear answer to this issue. What interests me is: do we have to change the way we pronounce the name? I mean, does "James' " [ʤeɪmz] become [ʤeɪmi:z] (?) if we write it as "James's"?
Thanks in advance!
2 déc. 2017 09:43
Réponses · 6
1
Yes, that's how I would say it. JamZ (James) and JamZIZ (James's / James')
This is what the MLA style guide says (American university standard style)...although you have probably already read this.
"Note, though, that when a word ending in s is the same in the plural as it is in the singular, you just add an apostrophe:
scissors’ blades
identity politics’ critics
Also add only an apostrophe for proper names when the name is plural but the entity is singular:
the United States’ policy on China
In MLA style, proper nouns ending in s that are singular follow the general rule and add ’s :
Athens’s history
Diogenes’s philosophy
Alexandre Dumas’s novels
Some styles may allow you to add only an apostrophe: Athens’ history, Diogenes’ philosophy, Dumas’ novels.
2 décembre 2017
1
Hello again,
Yes, you have understood correctly. The pronunciations on Vocaroo are correct. I was simply writing them how they sound for English speakers and not in IPA: JamZ [ʤeɪmz] and JamZIZ [ʤeɪmzi:z]. The possessive form is said [ʤeɪmzi:z] ( perhaps only with some accents [ʤeɪmi:z] as you wrote in your original message), no matter if it's spelled James' or James's. :-)
I'm answering here because I can't seem to make a comment to you above. The system doesn't want to accept it.
2 décembre 2017
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Kseniia
Compétences linguistiques
Anglais, Gaélique (irlandais), Russe
Langue étudiée
Anglais, Gaélique (irlandais)
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