An apostrophe question

[Minstrel]

'Summers lull sedates the quick'

Question....should 'summers' have an apostpophe? and if so why......

I am here to learn.

[Bombadil]

Yes, because in this instance Summer is an entity capable of possession.

[Minstrel]

I dont understand.

[Bombadil]

The apostrophe is used to ascribing possession of a soon mentioned article or characteristic to a previously mentioned entity (noun, if you will).

Your statement requires the possessive mark of an apostrophe because it is the lull of summer, meaning lull belongs to or is a characteristic of the summer.

[Minstrel]

Cant see that it makes a difference really. Seems like an aesthetic superfluous. As an abbreviation between two words, yes. Would like to see a critical example though. An example of its relevence.

Cheers Keith.

[k-j]

Yes, of course it should, because "summers" is the plural of summer, and that's not what you mean here. Of course, it's clear what you mean once I read the entire sentence, but why should I have to read the whole sentence to understand what you mean, when you can make it clear from the outset with a simple apostrophe? It's about doing your reader a courtesy as much as anything else.

Of course, you can ignore grammar if you're not bothered about clarity in your writing, but as a reader that turns me off.

The apostrophe is used to ascribing possession of a soon mentioned article or characteristic to a previously mentioned entity (noun, if you will).

I know what you're saying, Keith, but at the same time, wot??

[barrie]

It's called the genetive (possessive) case. You can rephrase 'summer's lull' as 'the lull of summer, therefore it needs the apostrophe. It's a general rule ie. 'the book of the boy', becomes 'the boy's book'. The apostrophe's just a shortcut.
If the book belongs to more than one boy, it becomes 'the boys' book'.

Barrie

[Minstrel]

three very different people.....

Thanks gents, I am now at one with the apostrophe.

[pseud]

I scanned it differently.

"Summers lull, sedate the quick"

That would also work grammatically.

[Minstrel]

summer's or summers' ? sorry about this.

[cameron]

Depends how many "summers" you are talking about.

Good example:

Poets' Graves - the graves of more than one poet

Poet's Grave - the grave of a (single) poet

Summer's lull - the lull of one summer
Summers' lulls - the lulls of more than one summer

I think
C

[twoleftfeet]

Cam,

The only anomaly I can think of is its/ it's e.g

Summer's lull belies its warm intentions

where there is no apostrophe in its because it's is , of course,an
contraction of "it is".
Well, they had to choose one or t'other......

Oh to be French:..
Ma tante's plume est dans mon oncle's jardin

Geoff

[thoke]

Minstrel's minstrels' minstrels were sharing a bag of minstrels one day, when one of them said, "Why the hell do Minstrel's minstrels need so many minstrels?" To which another of Minstrel's minstrels' minstrels replied, "I don't know, but Minstrel's very cruel to make all sixty of his minstrels' minstrels share one packet of minstrels. Let's go on strike."

So they did.

[Minstrel]

Cheers guys (or should that be Cheers' guys')

Most helpful. Probably should have re-read our absent friend's advice more closely.

Thoke, buy your own Minstrels!