ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: nations' efforts or nations efforts

wholegrain — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:52:42 GMT

NO, THERE IS!

Muhahahahahahaha!

Proof:

Noun adjuncts were traditionally mostly singular (e.g. "trouser press") except when there were lexical restrictions (e.g. "arms race"), but there is a recent trend towards more use of plural ones, especially in UK English. Many of these can also be and/or were originally interpreted and spelled as plural possessives (for example "chemicals' agency", "writers' conference", "Rangers' hockey game")[2], but they are now often written without the apostrophe although this is criticised by some authorities.

Re: nations' efforts or nations efforts

Grammar Geek — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:04:05 GMT

The efforts of developed nations = developed nations' efforts.

Most nouns, when used to modify other nouns, are used in the singular. (Sports is the one example I can think of that stays plural.)

Car park, bed room, cherry pie, conference room, etc.

There's little point in asking anyone if it "should" be accepted.

Re: nations' efforts or nations efforts

wholegrain — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:51:28 GMT

But why?

I mean if we would be referring to something that modifies a noun in general, we would say noun modifier.

But think of a particular noun modifier that modifies two nouns, wouldn't it be practical to say nouns modifier in this instance? ex: grass death bringer

...or when referring to particular instances? ex: developed nations efforts

Don't you think this usage should be accepted at the least if it isn't?

Re: nations' efforts or nations efforts

Grammar Geek — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:16:55 GMT

wholegrain
Why is it correct in singular, but wrong in plural?

Power is used as an adjective. What sort of struggles? Power struggles.

(If the headline meant that the highly placed people, referred to as "the powers," were struggling, then the stuggle becomes a verb and would need to be in the plural. )

Re: nations' efforts or nations efforts

optilang — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:24:25 GMT

I take it that this is a headline.

Power struggles (are going on) amongst Iraqi Shia.

Re: nations' efforts or nations efforts

wholegrain — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:17:39 GMT

Why is it correct in singular, but wrong in plural?

Re: nations' efforts or nations efforts

optilang — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:04:21 GMT

wholegrain
"Powers struggles amongst Iraqi Shia"

Is the above incorrect then?

Power struggles amongst Iraqi Shia.

Re: nations' efforts or nations efforts

wholegrain — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:27:38 GMT

"Powers struggles amongst Iraqi Shia"

Is the above incorrect then?

Re: nations' efforts or nations efforts

unixfanatic — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:41:02 GMT

nations' efforts -- otherwise there is no possession and it's just a random couple of words strung together

nations' efforts or nations efforts

wholegrain — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:30:23 GMT

Well, I have seen nouns act as noun modifiers, but since nation is in plural I was wondering if it was of correct usage to say: "nations efforts" rather than "nations' efforts".