| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Grammar: possessive apostrophe in 'years old' Thread poster: Richard Purdom
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| Squealing @Adrian | Mar 29, 2016 |
Adrian, are you saying "10 years' old" is now accepted correct usage? Bah.
| | | | | I have to admit... | Mar 29, 2016 |
... that I have to check apostrophes, in everything I write, but I have never been in doubt about this one.
10 years old, no apostrophe,
10 years' experience with.
One reason is that my source language adds 's' without an apostrophe as a standard possessive, and it may even be the same word in some cases.
As I explain to clients, logic is not always applicable to English, or it may depend on which logical approach you are applying! It may be q... See more ... that I have to check apostrophes, in everything I write, but I have never been in doubt about this one.
10 years old, no apostrophe,
10 years' experience with.
One reason is that my source language adds 's' without an apostrophe as a standard possessive, and it may even be the same word in some cases.
As I explain to clients, logic is not always applicable to English, or it may depend on which logical approach you are applying! It may be quite logical to English natives, but the logic is different in Danish. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:35
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| Right and wrong | Mar 29, 2016 |
10 years' old is ALWAYS WRONG
10 years old is correct.
| | | | | My take on the issue | Mar 29, 2016 |
Regarding this issue, it is my understanding that apostrophes are used in phrases such as four days' time where the time period (four days) modifies a noun (time), but not in four weeks old, where the time period (three weeks) modifies an adjective (old).
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| Definitely 10 years old | Mar 29, 2016 |
After all, you wouldn't say "one year's old".
In 10 years' time is correct (because it's 10 years of time - genitive case).
To check that this is right, imagine if it was "in one year's time". Sounds right, doesn't it? You wouldn't say "in one year time".
| | | | | Mildly concerned | Mar 29, 2016 |
that there is even a discussion about this
| | | | Balasubramaniam L. 
India
Local time: 02:05
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Cilian O'Tuama wrote:
Or how do you see it?
I was simply pulling the leg of cocksure native speakers who proverbially never err. I was having my moment of fun at their discomfiture and fallibility.
Of course, I have doubts and uncertainities about my own languages, and quite often too. I have been in the language business long enough to know that grammar is a tricky beast which takes more than a life-time to tame. The sad thing is, many don't realize this and jump into stereotypes about the perfect linguist (read native speaker).
This provided a not-to-be-missed opportunity to put them in their place.
You will no doubt forgive me for seizing this opportunity with both hands.
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Regarding 10 minutes walk, I see 10 minutes not as a unit of time, but as of distance - the distance covered by walking for 10 minutes. So this construction is similar to -
4 kilometre walk - a walk that is 4 km long
It won't be 4 kilometre's walk.
[Edited at 2016-03-29 17:01 GMT]
| | | | Richard Purdom
Portugal
Local time: 21:35
Dutch to English
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TOPIC STARTER | bandwagonningism | Mar 29, 2016 |
Balasubramaniam L. wrote: Cilian O'Tuama wrote:
Or how do you see it? I was simply pulling the leg of cocksure native speakers who proverbially never err. I was having my moment of fun at their discomfiture and fallibility. Of course, I have doubts and uncertainities about my own languages, and quite often too. I have been in the language business long enough to know that grammar is a tricky beast which takes more than a life-time to tame. The sad thing is, many don't realize this and jump into stereotypes about the perfect linguist (read native speaker). This provided a not-to-be-missed opportunity to put them in their place. You will no doubt forgive me for seizing this opportunity with both hands. [Edited at 2016-03-29 17:01 GMT]
It's a bit sad to note that you see this as an opportunity to continue with what must be a personal crusade.
Native speakers don't usually have 'perfect grammar' because we don't spend our whole lives studying it. However, we can string a sentence together which doesn't sound weird to other natives, even if it does miss a greengrocer's/greengrocers/greengrocers' apostrophe or two. You have to ask yourself what hinders communication more, but maybe you could start another thread on this.
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| Doesnt work [sic] | Mar 29, 2016 |
Balasubramaniam L. wrote:
Regarding 10 minutes walk, I see 10 minutes not as a unit of time, but as of distance - the distance covered by walking for 10 minutes. So this construction is similar to -
4 kilometre walk - a walk that is 4 km long
In that case it would be a 10 minute walk, or a 10-minute walk.
I'm afraid you cannot have 10 minutes walk without an apostrophe. That's just wrong.
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