02-15-2012, 11:44 AM | #1 |
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Need help with an apostrophe
One time there had been four of them, all stood directly under his window, their high-pitched shrieks, moans and wails sounding like a cats orgy.
Should it be cats, cat's or cats' ? |
02-15-2012, 12:19 PM | #2 |
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I say no apostrophe and no plural: "...sounding like a cat orgy."
But I'm not sure. |
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02-15-2012, 12:53 PM | #3 |
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IMO, since you said "a cat," singular, the correct possessive form is cat's. If you had said, "several cats" then the form would be cats'. Or rearrange to more clearly say what you probably mean, "an orgy of cats."
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02-15-2012, 01:00 PM | #4 |
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Obligatory link to Bob the Angry Flower's Quick Guide to the Apostrophe, You Idiots!
Since there are four presumably people under the window and an orgy is a multi-participant thing, "cats' orgy" sounds about right (unless it's one cat getting involved in an orgy). But it looks like awkward phrasing and a less-directly-possessive way of putting it might work out better. |
02-15-2012, 01:17 PM | #5 |
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Well there would need to be at least 3 cats for an orgy. It's to describe the sound they make when they're shagging. Not sure if you've ever heard cats shagging, but they're not exactly quiet about it.
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02-15-2012, 01:40 PM | #6 |
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Funny thing about that. I had to look it up to be sure but it appears you don't need three to make an orgy. Three or more does seem to be a common interpretation but I see plenty of room in the definitions for two boisterous people to have an orgy. But carry on as you were, lol.
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02-15-2012, 03:46 PM | #7 |
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Several cats, one orgy = a cats' orgy.
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02-15-2012, 07:28 PM | #8 |
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It's cats'. However, you might use the singular, as in 'a cat fight' (more than one cat).
I don't think cats are the orgy type. JB |
02-15-2012, 08:43 PM | #9 |
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I think John is right. My experience is that the strange sound you hear (often sounds like babies crying) is two, and only two, cats in luv!
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02-16-2012, 06:55 AM | #10 | |
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Quote:
However cat is being used as an adjective here, so I do not think you want possessive case at all. a blue orgy a blue car a cat orgy All the same basic format. The cat does not OWN the orgy. Instead you are telling what KIND of orgy. So in my opinion, singular, non possessive. |
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02-16-2012, 07:40 AM | #11 |
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02-16-2012, 08:32 AM | #12 | |
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Quote:
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02-16-2012, 08:34 AM | #13 |
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Hmm, I think most readers will assume fury animals when they read that. I did at least.
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02-16-2012, 08:37 AM | #14 |
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02-16-2012, 08:50 AM | #15 |
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A cat orgy has slightly different connotations to a cats' orgy, to me. The latter seems to have more emphasis on the cats, which seems to fit the original sentence better.
That's just a gut feeling, though. I have no particular expertise other than being a native speaker. |
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