HOw do you form the plural of a name?

VydorScope · 08-13-2012, 09:35 PM

Say I want to refer to a family, and would say something about Mr Dougherty and his various family members...

The Dougherteys like to eat fish

Would it be..

The Dougherteys like to eat fish
The Dougherteies like to eat fish
The Doughertey's like to eat fish

?

Thanks!

jocampo · 08-13-2012, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Say I want to refer to a family, and would say something about Mr Dougherty and his various family members...

The Dougherteys like to eat fish

Would it be..

The Dougherteys like to eat fish
The Dougherteies like to eat fish
The Doughertey's like to eat fish

?

Thanks!

I think is,

The Dougherteys like to eat fish.

Because family names can't be altered, and apostrophe is for possessive

Disclaimer, English is my second language.

fidvo · 08-13-2012, 10:56 PM

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.

It gets trickier when you use the possessive, especially with the possessive and plural together, and the extreme case with a family name that already ends in S with the possessive and plural together. I don't even try to remember what to do in this case. I just google it if I need it. (Try googling "plural possessive proper nouns")

Andrew H. · 08-15-2012, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fidvo

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.)

VydorScope · 08-15-2012, 06:40 AM

Thanks all! Dougherteys it will be!

08-13-2012, 09:35 PM	#1
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 2,713 Karma: 29113776 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Nook Color	HOw do you form the plural of a name? Say I want to refer to a family, and would say something about Mr Dougherty and his various family members... The Dougherteys like to eat fish Would it be.. The Dougherteys like to eat fish The Dougherteies like to eat fish The Doughertey's like to eat fish ? Thanks! __________________ Vincent My Books on: Smashwords and Amazon My E-Book Series homepage: http://losttalesofpower.com All of my books are available DRM free through Smashwords.

08-15-2012, 06:40 AM	#5
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 2,713 Karma: 29113776 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Nook Color	Thanks all! Dougherteys it will be! __________________ Vincent My Books on: Smashwords and Amazon My E-Book Series homepage: http://losttalesofpower.com All of my books are available DRM free through Smashwords.

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08-13-2012, 10:56 PM	#3
fidvo Enthusiast Posts: 48 Karma: 775432 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: none	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. It gets trickier when you use the possessive, especially with the possessive and plural together, and the extreme case with a family name that already ends in S with the possessive and plural together. I don't even try to remember what to do in this case. I just google it if I need it. (Try googling "plural possessive proper nouns")


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