Richard J. wrote:
wrote:
In her amusing book, "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" Lynn Truss (mistakenly,
I think) states the rule as being that one omits the "s" where the
proper noun is of "ancient" origin, whatever that may mean. But she
then goes on to disprove this rule by quoting "St. Thomas' Hospital"
as being an exception to the rule!
IIRC (I don't have the book to hand at present), she said that if people
invent a brand name, one should reluctantly accept it as it stands, and
quoted "St Thomas' Hospital" as an example. The webmaster at their site
once tried to persuade me that the spelling reflected the fact that
there were two saints called Thomas connected with the hospital, but of
course that would make it "St Thomases' Hospital".
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)
Richard, you remember correctly about what Miss Truss wrote about St.
Thomas' Hospital. Not quite sure where her "brand name" - the hospital
has been around for a good while longer than either that concept!
Highly amusing what you wrote about the two saints! I hail from two
institutions where that rule does apply, but people inevitably get in
wrong - Kings' House (in my old school - after Kings Charles I and II)
and Queens' College, Cambridge (after Queens Elizabeth Woodville and
Margaret of Anjou).
Marc.