Martin Rich wrote:
On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 23:24:05 GMT, "Richard J."
wrote:

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.

St Thomas' Hospital gets a specific mention along these lines in the
Times style guide (
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...41-560,00.html and scroll
down to 'apostrophes') where the hospital's house style takes
precedence over the newspaper's

Martin

Thanks for that link, Martin.

I have read it and disagree profoundly with their accusation that St.
Thomas' Hospital is a "whim". How patronisingly offensive.

Would they be equally patronising when referring to "Jesus' birthplace"
or "Zeus' Temple" or "King James' Version" (as in bible)? Only one of
these is of two syllables, and none of these are of Greek origin or a
"whim"!

And, I'm sure (in the days when I still read that newspaper, before it
became tabloid) I have seen "Dickens' works" or similar, and never
"Dickens's works" which I would have remembered! And, I have NEVER seen
either in that newspaper or elsewhere reference to "The Times's Letters
Page" or the "The Times's leader"!

The simple and easy-to-remember rule is to omit the final "s" in all
possessive plurals.

Marc.

(Admittedly, I only obtained a "B" in English Language O-Level, and
that cross I have worn with much pain ever since!)

M.