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Abbreviated plurals

  • 24-11-2006 01:03PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 801 ✭✭✭


    When you abbreviate a word, like PC, some people put an apostrophe before the s when writing the plural of it, e.g. PC's. I'd usually write it as PCs as you would with a normal plural.

    Which is correct?


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,575 ✭✭✭✭FlutterinBantam


    I would say PCs as the apostrophe would denote possesion,as in the PC's screen.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,130 ✭✭✭Yakuza


    According to the first few posts from this google search, you are correct in that you don't use the apostrophe.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,314 ✭✭✭Talliesin


    The use of an apostrophes for the plurals of an initialism is generally considered more old-fashioned than the form without. Similarly with the use of periods after each letter, though there's also a matter of some initialisms traditionally having them and some, particularly those acronyms pronouced as words, not.

    Both forms are received English though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 392 ✭✭Twinkle-star15


    IMO, if you use full stops (eg- P.C.) then you use the apostrophe, but if not, you don't. I think that's preference more than an actual guideline though.


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