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| Possessed http://testycopyeditors.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3205 |
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| Author: | EMorse [ Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Possessed |
A minor but puzzling issue that arose here t'other night:<p>A story referred to the Mercer, Camden, Essex and Middlesex County Prosecutor's Offices. The debate was this: In that construction, should it be Prosecutor's Offices or Prosecutors' Offices? The argument for the former was that "Prosecutor's" modifies "Office," and there is only one prosecutor (excluding assistants) in each county, so only "office" should be plural. The argument for the latter was that the prosecutors and their offices were being referred to collectively, so both should be plural.<p>We were unable to reach a satisfying resolution. Thoughts?<p>(As a side note, before anyone points out the seeming capitalization error, our style is to capitalize the common elements in a list of proper nouns as in the example above or in Broad and Walnut Streets. It is not a style rule of which I approve.) |
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| Author: | ndugan1 [ Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:33 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Possessed |
If the prosecutors and their offices are being referred to collectively, then "Prosecutor's Offices" refers to everyone in those offices in those counties, including the prosecutors themselves. The "Prosecutors' Offices" is unnecessary.<p>My question is thus: Shouldn't it be "Counties" (adhering to your paper's style)? And how does the possessive work there? And have I just opened Pandora's Box?<p>[ November 22, 2004: Message edited by: Niko Dugan ]</p> |
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| Author: | majorbabs [ Wed Nov 24, 2004 12:42 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Possessed |
Two thoughts:<p>You could remake the sentence to refer to the prosecutor's office in Middlesex, Essex, etc. counties.<p>OR you could generalize it and say "Prosecutors in five counties -- whatever they are -- are ..." and leave out the whole idea of the office.<p>[ November 24, 2004: Message edited by: majorbabs ]</p> |
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| Author: | EMorse [ Wed Nov 24, 2004 3:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Possessed |
That would have been my choice, but the discussion arose on deadline, during proofing, when only minor surgery would have been possible. |
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| Author: | majorbabs [ Wed Nov 24, 2004 9:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Possessed |
Isn't that always the case? Better luck next time. |
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