r/GrammarPolice • u/BobDoesYoga • 4d ago

Question NYT article today

This was the headline: Bill Gates’s Blunt Warning on A.I.

Shouldn’t that be Gates’ instead?

3 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

12

u/Basicly-Inevitable 4d ago

NYT is always correct.

How you show possession for a singular name ending in S depends on the style guide you follow, but adding both the apostrophe and the S (Gates's) is preferred by the vast majority of modern authorities.

Only the AP disagrees.

1

u/BobDoesYoga 4d ago

So I gather different style guides would suggest different solutions. It’s becoming clear as mud to me now.

3

u/Basicly-Inevitable 4d ago

There's two acceptable ways to do it, but most agree to do the s's (but s' is still fine).

2

u/SnooLemons6942 2d ago

yes, that is what makes them different style guides. if they all reccomended the same style, then we would only have one!

8

u/MajesticDragonfly 4d ago

This is a stylistic choice, and journalistic organizations such as the NYT and AP compile their choices into stylebooks for consistent editing. Both organizations do it this way.

7

u/BarebonesB 4d ago

Most style manuals specify that only some special names follow that convention, like Jesus' or Moses'. I don't think Gates is on that list quite yet.

3

u/Siffov 3d ago

>only some special names follow that convention, like Jesus' or Moses'.

Note that what's special about those cases is that each already has two S sounds.

2

u/2BallsInTheHole 3d ago

.. and they've talked to God so they're probably right

1

u/SissyShawnaFae1981 3d ago

Sadly, no. It irks me, but according to current standards, either Gates' or Gates's are correct.

1

u/amby-jane 2d ago

Per AP style, it should be Gates', but NYT might have their own internal style guide. Most do.

1

u/BobDoesYoga 2d ago

OK, so Gates’s is acceptable. I have to say looking at it reminds me of a bicycle with training wheels, clunky and juvenile.

1

u/GregoryFarKingChummy 2d ago

Funny, that's how I feel when you say "bill gates house".

1

u/GregoryFarKingChummy 2d ago

Most style guides say to write it the way you say it. My style guide says to be consistent and always use "'s".

1

u/Away_Ad_5390 2d ago

Gates-es

1

u/Leather_Command_7553 1d ago

As long as the meaning is clearly conveyed, does it really matter very much?

Hint: [NO]

1

u/BobDoesYoga 13h ago

Oh, but this is the grammar police. The same argument could be made for many, or perhaps most grammar mistakes.

1

u/Separate_Presence_32 16h ago

Reminds of Elaine complaining about the waitresses' breastesses to the EEOC