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Post by Paul Doherty on May 1, 2008 16:55:21 GMT
Since we'd say Women's Day, Ex-Servicemen's Day, and so on, I'd agree with the choice of Singles' Day. Daft idea though. That was the clincher for me, but back on the APS, Bob Johnson has raised the issue of the women's doubles at Wimbledon. So I've been musing about Women's Doubles, and by extension, Women's Singles and a singles contest. What is "a single" anyway -- we can't have "a double" (although I wouldn't mind a double now) can we, so what is a "doubles" contest? So I'm now wondering about adjectives, nouns, compound nouns and making my head hurt. We'd never say Women's Doubles' would we -- but might we be tempted to a women's doubles' contest or a doubles' contest? If not, then singles contest must be OK, and then it's not much of a stretch to a singles day. |
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Post by Paul Doherty on May 1, 2008 16:57:54 GMT
And what about Ascot? Ladies Day or Ladies' Day?
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Post by Sue M-V on May 2, 2008 13:26:51 GMT
Not everything is obvious, is it? You can see why some people give up entirely on apostrophes, can't you?
I don't know whether there is an easy and consistent answer for all cases. I used t have a teacher who said "when in doubt, leave it out" but I'm not sure he was referring to apostrophes! I usually tend to put them in!
I'd probably write "Women's Doubles Contest". I don't find "doubles" difficult to grasp - one double (= pair) on one side of the net and another on the other. The contest is of type: doubles, and for women.
As for Ascot, I'd probably write: Ladies' Day. It is not likely, however, that I shall ever need to write it, so I shan't worry about it much.
Sue
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Post by Paul Doherty on May 2, 2008 13:30:04 GMT
And Singles Contest, Sue? But Singles' Day?
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Post by Dave M on May 2, 2008 13:56:43 GMT
I think there's a clear difference, Paul: the day is special for/to those individuals who happen to be single (and who each therefore consist of a "single"). The contest is not necessarily between people who are single (as in singles' contest), but is of a type where each contestant acts singly (a contest of type: single, as Sue says).
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Post by Barry on May 2, 2008 14:05:59 GMT
Yup, I'd agree with Dave M. Doubles/singles, in terms of tennis, is adjectival - it describes a type of tennis match (it's analogous to the adjectival 5-a-side football - a type of football match). So, the singles/doubles bit is definitely adjectival, and I'd say that the women's bit is possessive (this one is being played by women, or it's a competition for women).
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Post by Paul Doherty on May 2, 2008 14:21:42 GMT
Yes, I'd go with all that. But if singles is adjectival in tennis, why not in love (or at least cards)? I know that in tennis singles="one person each side" and in love single="unmarried", but would we really treat them so differently?
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Post by Dave M on May 2, 2008 14:45:23 GMT
> so differently? <
Yes. A single (adjective) person is a "single" (noun).
A singles (adjective) tennis match is not itself a "single" (noun).
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Post by Barry on May 2, 2008 15:20:39 GMT
Yup. And a Singles' Day is a day for single people to do something (i.e. meet up with other singles, perhaps), not a day of type 'single(s)'.
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Post by Barry on May 2, 2008 15:22:51 GMT
Speaking as a single person, however, I can't imagine that I'd attend such a thing  (although I might drag my great corpse onto a tennis court to hit a ball at someone). |
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Post by Paul Doherty on May 2, 2008 15:34:34 GMT
Ok, I'm convinced!
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(although I might drag my great corpse onto a tennis court to hit a ball at someone).