About the 's

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Anonymous  #440613  Fri, 09 Nov 07 04:06 PM

Hello!

  I learned that when I use the apostrophe 's (genitive case) in the last name, it means that the noun that follows it (in this case the word 'music') refers to both names. So concerning to the sentence below(*) the idea wouldn't be that the music is the same music for both groups ?! (what seems strange and wrong). Therefore wouldn't the correct form be: " 'Pink Floyd's and Evanescence's music"(so we understand that the sentence is referring to Pink Floyd music and Evanescence music, which of course, are different, don't we)?   

Please, help me! 

(*) "Pink Floyd and Evanescence's music"

Thank you,

Celine

                    

  
Clive  #440617  Fri, 09 Nov 07 04:21 PM

Hi,

We normally say 'Tom and Mary's dog'.

I wouldn't say that 'Tom's and Mary's dog' is wrong, but it sounds awkward. I'd rather reword it to say something like

'The dog belonging to Tom and Mary' or '. . . their dog . . . '

Clive

  
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Spides  #440628  Fri, 09 Nov 07 04:59 PM
You are correct in thinking that the 's goes after both names since these are two different artists and the phrase refers to the music each has produced separately.  If two people own something together, then the 's goes only on the last name--for example John and Mary's house, or Simon and Garfunkel's music (they were a pair and produced their early music together).  But if the two people possess different houses, or music, then the 's goes after both.  Pink Floyd's and Evanescence's music, or John's and Mary's houses (if they own them separately).
  
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Anonymous  #440643  Fri, 09 Nov 07 05:19 PM

Thank you very much, Spides!

Best wishes,

Celine

  
Anonymous  #440644  Fri, 09 Nov 07 05:21 PM

Thanks for answering me, Clive.

Best wishes,

Celine

  
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