Help with apostrophe usage

[Vikki]

Hi,
Just wondered if anyone can help where my apostrophe should be in a sentence for my university assignment. The question is:

"The Zulus have the concept of Ubuntu as their form of justice within their community"

It is the Zulu bit, can't decide whether it should be Zulus' or Zulu's.

Help would be extremely grateful.

[Vikki]

Sorry should be the sentence is: (not the question is). Been a long day and brain is feeling a little fried.

[Dave]

Mar 6, 2010 15:38:25 GMT @Vikki said:

"The Zulus have the concept of Ubuntu as their form of justice within their community"

Your sentence is correct as written--no apostrophe needed. There is no possession or association here--just simple pluralization of Zulu, the same as if you were to use Americans, Canadians, or Australians. For some other countries, you might use a form like British, French, or Spanish. Don't let the fact that the word ends in a vowel throw you off course!

Mar 6, 2010 15:38:25 GMT @Vikki said:

It is the Zulu bit, can't decide whether it should be Zulus' or Zulu's.

These would be used for the possessive case (which includes association) so that you might have The Zulus' Community Center (a place owned by more than one Zulu) or the Zulu's home (a home owned by a single Zulu person).

[Vikki]

Thanks very much for clearing that up. It did confuse me a little with it ending in a vowel. I also couldn't make my mind up if it was possessive because Ubuntu is part of the Zulus way of life, it is their philosophy.

Probably making it even more complicated now, my tutor this year is marking down for grammatical errors and I can't afford to drop any.

[Sue M-V]

Ubuntu is part of the Zulus way of life

Ah, well, there you needed the apostrophe!

If it's the Zulus' way of life: the way of life of the Zulus, then the apostrophe indicates that the way of life is theirs.

If you're saying that the Zulus have the concept of Ubuntu, then you're saying something that Zulus do, and so no apostrophe is needed.

The Zulus have a concept: it's the Zulus' concept.
The Zulus have a way of life: it's the Zulus' way of life.
The Zulus are guided by Ubuntu: Ubuntu is the Zulus' code.

See?

Of course, if it was only one Zulu you meant, then you'd write -

The Zulu has a concept: it's the Zulu's concept.
The Zulu has a way of life: it's the Zulu's way of life.

... and so on.

Sue

[Vikki]

Thank you, Sue.

Think I am a little more clearer on this, never been able to get my head round apostrophe use except when it is replacing letters like can't.

Thanks for the help everyone.

[Sue M-V]

a little more clearer

Vikki, if you're worried about your grammar, then you might also like to think about the comparison of adjectives! I don't mean to nag, but you said grammar was important to you (or your professor, anyway!).

Adjectives of one and two syllables take -er and -est to make the comparative and superlative forms. Adjectives of three or more syllables are preceded by more and most.
E.g.:

clear - clearer - clearest
tall - taller - tallest

clever - cleverer - cleverest
silly - sillier - silliest

beautiful - more beautiful - most beautiful
interesting - more interesting - most interesting

But you never do both (add -er and put more in front!).

So what you meant was that it's a little clearer.

If it's still not completely clear, keep coming back and asking again! We have the patience of saints!

Sue

[Tone]

>We have the patience of saints!<

That'll be Saint Hippocrates, then?

Tone

[Sue M-V]

I'll rephrase that: some of us have the patience of saints - just your average common or garden saints!

Sue ;D

[Deleted]

I was hoping someone could answer the question of where to put the apostrophe in "Happy Mothers Day"- does it refer to my mother or all mothers ?we couldn't decide and left it off , but would like to know for next time.

[Twoddle]

Missp,

Opinion is divided! Some (like me) prefer "Mothers' Day" because it's the day to honour mothers generally; some prefer "Mother's Day" because it's the day to honour one's own mother; and others use "Mothers Day", where "Mothers" is being used adjectivally, i.e. the day of type "Mothers".

For Americans, the President has decreed that it's "Mother's Day", but, then again, what does he know?

[Pete]

To be fair, at least he knew his mother.

[Alan Palmer]

Just to be clear, it was President Woodrow Wilson who made it an official national holiday in 1914.

[Twoddle]

Apr 6, 2010 11:18:53 GMT Alan Palmer said:

Just to be clear, it was President Woodrow Wilson who made it an official national holiday in 1914.

I think all subsequent presidents have reconfirmed it, but I may well be talking through my trousers in so saying.

[looseball]

How does it work with apostrophies (and speech for that matter) when brackets are involved; eg: "I borrowed Fred's (my brother's) football" ? Is this correct? Or " I saw Bob's (one of my golf partner's) car arrive"