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Moshe Kruger (AllWrite) wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> Apostix (an imaginary name) is very similar (especially the last three
> letters) to the real name of one of my clients.
>
> What should be the genitive (possessive) form of the name?
>
> The need to express that form arises most often in marketing texts, such as:
>
> - Apostix's real-time solutions
> - Apostix's marketing strategy
>
> This question is relevant to everyday examples such as associating the hem
> to a dress or a guitar to Jimmy Hendrix. Here, the authorities are divided:
>
> *Usage 1*:
> - The dress's hem
> - Jimmy Hendrix's guitar
> (here there is an additional, pronounced syllable)
>
> *Usage 2*:
> - Lloyd Bridges' son
> - The dress' hem
> (here there is no additional, pronounced syllable)
>
> What is certain is that an apostrophe must be added. It is untenable to
> write: Apostix real-time solutions.
>
> My question is: *how should I indicate the possessive of Apostix in the most
> correct, yet most unpompous way?*
> Ta,
>
Strunk & White, Rule 1:
"Form the possessive of singular nouns by adding 's."
The only exceptions they admit are ancient names such as Jesus and
Moses, where the forms Jesus' and Moses' are established, but they
prefer, for instance, "the laws of Moses."
The correct form would be Apostix's, with the extra syllable.
In your case, Apostix may be a trade mark, in which case it should be
used (according to US Trademark Law) only as an adjective. There would
thus be no possessive, because English does not have declension of
adjectives, unlike German. You could use these forms:
Apostix Company's real-time solutions use orthogonal time for greater
speed.
Apostix Ltd's marketing strategy is to use straightforward writing.
Visit the Apostix Corporation's web site.
Experience Apostix smoked herring's superior strength today!
Such words when incorrectly used as nouns provide mirth to Latinate
scholars attempting to derive plurals: One Xerox, two Xeroces? One
Spandex, two Spandeces? Spandexices? Xeroxicieses? "Make a Xerox of
this. Then make five more."
If one desired to be really, truly wrong, one could add the
"greengrocer's apostrophe" and its buddy the greengrocer's quotation
mark just about everywhere, in plurals, possessives, and as a sort of
seasoning:
"Fresh" I'rish Potatoe's From the "Midland's" 1.20£ per kilo's.
The wrong placement of the currency sign is yet another part of the
greengrocer's scheme to attract attention. Excuse me, I mean "ATT£NTION".
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