I recently had a case similar to this. I don't remember whether the word actually was hours, but it was a plural ending in s that had an apostrophe after it. I didn't think possessive case made sense there either. I had a copy of the book (it may have been a book I was reviewing after scanning) and by golly, the apostrophe was in the book. But the idea that this seemingly extraneous punctuation indicates a contraction for "hours of" seems more reasonable to me than possessive case. And though I can't recall the exact text for my example, I have a gut feeling it was similar.
So, I'm in favor of keeping it, but I'd rather have the book to be sure. I don't see the title in the original email. Could the originator of this thread provide the title and page number in case one of us has it?
Misha Jill O'Connell wrote:
I think the apostrophe is there because the word "of" is left out. The sentence is referring to the hours of community service. This type of question is why having a print copy of the book is so important. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger Loran Bailey" <rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx>To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, January 10, 2010 9:34 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: question about a sentenceIf the apostrophe belongs there it turns the word hours into a possessive form. That would mean that the community service belongs to the hours and that does not quite make sense. To be unambiguous the word of should followthe word hours, but without it the most sensible construction of the sentence would be without the apostrophe. I think I would remove it. Roger Loran Bailey"Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, & the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people."Karl Marx The Militant: http://www.themilitant.com Pathfinder Press: http://www.pathfinderpress.com Granma International: http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html----- Original Message ----- From: "gail johnson" <mama-gail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, January 10, 2010 6:36 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] question about a sentenceIn the following text I am trying to decide if this apostrophe is a junkScan. The word in question is hours' plus I was sentenced to 120 hours' community service at the juvenile center." -- Email services provided by the System Access Mobile Network. Visit www.serotek.com to learn more about accessibility anywhere. To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.comVersion: 8.5.432 / Virus Database: 270.14.131/2609 - Release Date: 01/09/10 07:35:00To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
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