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Pizza's?

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Andyw12345  #510491  Tue, 06 May 08 06:07 PM

Hi guys,

Drove past a restaraunt today and it was advertising pizzas, now it wrote this as 'we sell pizza's' - am I write in thinking that it should be pizzas (i.e. plural)?

Thanks in advance!
  
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Many thanks, Andy
Yoong Liat  #510508  Tue, 06 May 08 06:51 PM

Andyw12345

Hi guys,

Drove past a restaraunt (restaurant) today and it was advertising pizzas, now it wrote this as 'we sell pizza's' - am I write (right) in thinking that it should be pizzas (i.e. plural)?

Thanks in advance!

You're right. The plural of  'pizza' is  'pizzas'.

I hope you don't mind my pointing out your typos.

Best wishes

 
  
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GrammarGuy  #510509  Tue, 06 May 08 06:59 PM

"Pizzas" is the plural: "We sell pizzas."

"Pizza's" is a possessive: "The pizza's topping was delicious."

"Pizza's" is also a contraction: "Pizza's my favorite food."
  
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Goodman  #510514  Tue, 06 May 08 07:30 PM

Hi Grammarguy,
Welcome!
By the way, you are not related to Grammar Geek; are you?(:)) Smile

<<>>"Pizza's" is also a contraction: "Pizza's my favorite food." 

"This is John's restaurant"- it's correct becasue it is a contraction to a person.
 I have a little resevation about using contraction with good or inimate objects.
Don't mean to disagree. Just my take..
  
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GrammarGuy  #510551  Tue, 06 May 08 09:58 PM

"Pizza's my favorite food" is very informal -- I would only use a contraction like this when writing dialog.
  
MrPedantic  #510578  Tue, 06 May 08 11:29 PM
Andyw12345

now it wrote this as 'we sell pizza's'



This is sometimes called the greengrocer's apostrophe, i.e. a redundant apostrophe before a plural inflection on notices promoting foodstuffs. (Potatoe's is also quite common.)

Probably the establishment had found themselves with a surplus, after omitting apostrophes elsewhere (e.g. on the board advertising Todays Specials).

MrP
  
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Andyw12345  #510580  Tue, 06 May 08 11:47 PM

Thanks guys - so I am correct in thinking that pizzas means more than one and pizza's is used when you are talking about one pizza or abreviating pizza is/has?

 Thanks!
  
MrPedantic  #510585  Tue, 06 May 08 11:53 PM
Yes, pizzas means more than one, and pizza's means either "of the pizza" or "pizza is"/"pizza has", e.g.

1. Here are your 77 pizzas. (= plural)
2. My pizza's cold. (= is cold)
3. My pizza's got too many anchovies on top. (= has got)
4. This pizza's provenance is unknown. (= the provenance of this pizza)

Best wishes,

MrP
  
Andyw12345  #510587  Wed, 07 May 08 12:07 AM

Thanks Mr P - your help is greatly appreciated.
  
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