Tongue Tyed: Dos vs. Don'ts

Nov 5, 2004

Dos vs. Don'ts

Alrighty brainiacs, I want you all to weigh in on something. This is an issue that has been weighing on my for days now...

Is it CD's or CDs? TV's or TVs? 49ers or 49'ers???

There are conflicting opinions out there and heaven forbid we offended the Grammar Gods!!

In one corner of the ring we have Webster's Pocket Style Guide, courtesy of Cameron Moll, which believes in the apostrophe.

In the other corner we have Nick Usborne, also courtesy of Cameron Moll, who is a staunt believer in the No Apostrophe Policy.

Then again we have this source from WSU, that thinks it ok...

But then again, we have Bob the Angry Flower that disagrees in this way, this way, and this way.

I am at a loss. This is almost as bad as the election. Maybe the Supreme Court can decide which way the chads hang...

posted by Ty @ 11/05/2004

2 Comments:

At 11:27 AM, November 05, 2004, Dylan said...: I believe the answer to be... both.

The apostrophe would apply, because the terms are acually acronyms. More correct would be C.D.'s. But who has the time, really?

Which leads me to the complete opposite argument. Because we don't puncutate the acronyms, it is possible to argue that CD has become a term used in American english, and therefore no apostrophe is needed.
At 1:27 PM, November 06, 2004, Ty said...: I agree, possession would be the decider for me, except for the fact that a style book says it's ok...I need to find my style books from school and see what they say. I guess this is how language changes.

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