Hoggirl Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I can't figure this out, and it is driving me batty. Would one write: 1) I wanted to give you a head's up? OR 2) I wanted to give you a heads up? And why would the correct answer be correct? Seems like #1. I wanted to give you an up OF the head. But I really don't know! Sorry to be a dummy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Merriam-Webster gives heads-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 This comes from the military, where someone shouts to a group of people that there is something coming in over their heads. Thus, I would say #2, since the saying is not possessive or a contraction that would require an apostrophe. However, I grant you that the "s" looks funny by itself. I might tend to put the saying in quotation marks. I've seen it hyphenated, but I don't think there are grammatical grounds for that. Where is this being used? If it is for formal writing, please rewrite and take it out. It's a colloquialism that is meant for informal speech, not writing. You are not a dummy! You are a brave person who's admitting that they are not sure of something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Really?! I just now posted saying that I didn't think there was grammatical basis for a hyphen! LOL. Oh well, I guess someone thinks there is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I would use a hyphen as well, because the phrase is being used as a noun. If it were being used as the original phrase (a command), I would separate the words but still leave out the apostrophe. And there are no "stoopid" grammar questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 I am not THAT "stoopid." I was just typing it to someone in an e-mail, and I couldn't figure which was was right. But if I am addressing only one person should it be "head-up?" Boy, that sounds wacky! I need to click on the link Drew provided. I can't believe how quickly I got responses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 I clicked on the Mirriam Webster link, but it didn't work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Sorry about that. It looks like you can't link directly to it. If you go to merriam-webster.com/dictionary and enter "heads-up" in the search box, it will come up. Both the adjective and the noun have hyphens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 I am glad to have learned this today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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