Vida Winter Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) Please - someone explain the rules for pluralizing proper names that end in "s" For instance: Jones --> Jonses If you were to show possession you would say Jonses' ETA Correction: Jones --> Joneses, possessive would be Joneses' Is there a list of rules/exceptions somewhere? I am trying to look this up online. There is a lot of conflicting information out there. Edited August 31, 2012 by Dana in OR error Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Please - someone explain the rules for pluralizing proper names that end in "s" For instance: Jones --> Jonses If you were to show possession you would say Jonses' Is there a list of rules/exceptions somewhere? I am trying to look this up online. There is a lot of conflicting information out there. There are no exceptions here. :-) To make a noun plural that ends with the sounds of -sh, -ch, -s, or -z, you add -es. It doesn't matter whether that word is a proper noun or not. So, yes, Jones would be this: Albert Jones lives here. That is Albert Jones's (yes, I use the extra s, because I *say* that s) house. The Jones family lives here. The Joneses live here. That is the Joneses' house. You know how you write "glass" when it's one glass, or "glasses" when it's more than one? Same thing with Jones/Joneses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Please - someone explain the rules for pluralizing proper names that end in "s" For instance: Jones --> Jonses If you were to show possession you would say Jonses' Is there a list of rules/exceptions somewhere? I am trying to look this up online. There is a lot of conflicting information out there. Well, the E before the S in the name would stay. So, to pluralize, they would be Joneses. Then to indicate that they all owned something, it would be Joneses'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Well, the E before the S in the name would stay. So, to pluralize, they would be Joneses. Then to indicate that they all owned something, it would be Joneses'. Oops. I just realized I typed it that way. I've been looking at it so long it all looks weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 There are no exceptions here. :-) To make a noun plural that ends with the sounds of -sh, -ch, -s, or -z, you add -es. It doesn't matter whether that word is a proper noun or not. So, yes, Jones would be this: Albert Jones lives here. That is Albert Jones's (yes, I use the extra s, because I *say* that s) house. The Jones family lives here. The Joneses live here. That is the Joneses' house. You know how you write "glass" when it's one glass, or "glasses" when it's more than one? Same thing with Jones/Joneses. Thank you. I thought there might be a different set of rules for proper nouns. -sh, -ch, -s, -z, (but also -x)? Andrews --> Andrewses Why does that look so strange? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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