Re: Languages in Europe - Who understands what ?

From: Alan Harrison (alantharrison_at_btinternet.com)
Date: 12/01/04 

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 18:56:39 +0000 (UTC)

"Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:41ADD282.32D4@worldnet.att.net...
> The Reids wrote:
> >
> > While we are on grammar, how are we supposed to know when to use
> > s' . Earls Court is believed to relate to two Earls, but no none
> > is quite sure. so do I write Earl's Court or Earls' Court? How
> > many Kings does King's Cross relate too. How many Barons in
> > Barons' Court? Is this the most pointless bit of grammar?
>
> You write whatever is on the signs there. These are proper names, which
> long ago passed from referring to specific earls, kings, or barons.

A look at the London Underground map would be interesting! Use of
apostrophes in names of this kind is not at all consistent. The apostrophe
is commonly omitted in company names - Harrods for example (since the
beginning of the last century at least), and Barclays Bank. (I erfrain from
discussing the unfortunate Cockney associations of the latter company!)

Alan Harrison

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