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Pedants' corner
Original poster

...childrens birthdays....apostrophy where?

29 replies

DoodleToYou · 17/04/2008 21:41

Message withdrawn

OP posts:
uberalice · 17/04/2008 21:42

both children's birthdays, I think.

cariboo · 17/04/2008 21:43

both children's birthdays

Hulababy · 17/04/2008 21:44

I would say children's birthdays

PeachesMcLean · 17/04/2008 21:45

both children's birthdays

DarthVader · 17/04/2008 21:45

both children's birthdays

Jessie3 · 17/04/2008 21:45

Children counts as singular, because it is one group. So it's children's, like ev says.

PeachesMcLean · 17/04/2008 21:45

Ooh snap!

tissy · 17/04/2008 21:46

hang on...

....both childrens' birthdays

birthdays is plural so no apostrophe

the birthdays belong to both children, so 's

Hopeysgirlwasntbig · 17/04/2008 21:46

I would say if it was a joint party, it would be childrens' birthdays

tissy · 17/04/2008 21:47

so say, "the birthdays of both the children

tissy · 17/04/2008 21:47

so say, "the birthdays of both the children

CantSleepWontSleep · 17/04/2008 21:48

Children's birthdays, and since we're in pedants corner, may I please point out the correct spelling of apostrophe.

Original poster
DoodleToYou · 17/04/2008 21:48

Message withdrawn

OP posts:
PortAndLemon · 17/04/2008 21:48

But there's no such thing as "childrens". If you say "childrens' birthdays" that equates to "birthdays of the childrens" which is silly. The (irregular) plural is "children", so it's "children's birthdays" (i.e. "birthdays of the children").

Original poster
DoodleToYou · 17/04/2008 21:49

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OP posts:
Hopeysgirlwasntbig · 17/04/2008 21:51

hmmm, difficult one that. It could be argued that it should be

children's birthdays

because each child's birthday is belonging to them individually

or is it that a birthday is something that all people share, therefore all 'own' so

childrens' birthdays

tissy · 17/04/2008 21:53

"I have to get through XXX's and YYY's birthdays before May"

or, "I have to get through two birthdays before May"

LyraSilvertongue · 17/04/2008 21:57

Children's birthday.
If you said childrens' that would be wrong because children in the plural . So the birthday belonging to the children is the children's birthday. Do I make sense? [too much wine emoticon]

Original poster
DoodleToYou · 17/04/2008 21:58

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OP posts:
JaneHH · 17/04/2008 21:58

hopey
Even in your second example it's still "children's"... sorry! "Children" is plural and the word "childrens" as in "1 children" and "2 childrens" does not exist!

Tissy
Both of your examples are correct (or were you not asking... )

JaneHH · 17/04/2008 21:59

x post (and too much wine)

tissy · 17/04/2008 22:00

I wasn't asking, I was telling

If I can't work out how to phrase something , it means it needs to be changed

LyraSilvertongue · 17/04/2008 22:02

Janehh, I've just asked MN Towers for a too much wine emoticon. It's needed here, methinks.

JaneHH · 17/04/2008 22:09

Right, time to start a new thread for a "too much wine" emoticon if lulumama MN Towers doesn't comply!

But first: I need to go and have a pee

Actually I need to go to bed too (sorry) as am on Continental Time don'tyouknow.

We MUST have a new emoticon.

Hopeysgirlwasntbig · 17/04/2008 22:09

yep, you're right JaneHH!