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Old 08-15-2012, 12:16 AM   #4
Andrew H.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fidvo View Post
For plural, use the same convention for proper nouns as you would for any other noun. So:

The Dougherteys like to eat fish.

Typically a noun that ends in "s" gets an "es" at the end for the plural, so:

The Joneses like to eat fish.
That's correct for this example. However, the normal plural rule for words ending in y not preceded by a vowel is to add -ies. Bankruptcy become bankruptcies, etc. That's not the rule for proper nouns; multiple members of the Levy family are Levys (not Levies).

The rule is to usually use -s, but to use -es after a x, s, z, or a sibilant ch or sh.

(Sibilant because "Here come the Churches, but where are the Johann Sebastian Bachs?)

(This is all from Garner's American Usage.)
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