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Style question: U.S.' or U.S.'s?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by for_the_hunt, Jul 3, 2009.

  1. for_the_hunt

    for_the_hunt Member

    For the life of me, I don't know.

    According the The AP stylebook, I would think, U.S. is a proper singular noun --- so it should be U.S.' and not U.S.'s.

    But U.S.' just looks weird to me, and I've googled stories where The AP has used U.S.'s. So what is it? Does anyone know?

    I know it's not a big deal, but it's really driving me crazy now.
     
  2. HandsomeHarley

    HandsomeHarley Well-Known Member

    Rewrite the sentence.

    If you can, spell it out: The United States' rednecks ...

    Would "American's" fit better?

    If it's in a quote, I would go with, "The U.S.'s production ..."

    When in doubt, rewrite the sentence.
     
  3. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    "USA's" [/gannett]
     
  4. SF_Express

    SF_Express Active Member

    I always thought the AP stylebook said U.S. should only be used as a modifier, not as the noun. Has that changed?

    I agree on rewriting, though. Also, you could probably get away in most cases treating it as modifier without the possessive, just like Reds first baseman.
     
  5. Blitz

    Blitz Active Member

    U.S.'s
     
  6. Double J

    Double J Active Member

    a-MED-ica

     
  7. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    U.S.S.R.'s [/yawn]
     
  8. duckncover

    duckncover Member

    Rewrite. There has to be a better way.
     
  9. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    AP Stylebook online, where you can ask the editor:

    Q. Hi, If I need a possessive used in the word U.S., do I use U.S.'s, U.S.' or just U.S. plus the noun? And can you also cite an example. Thanks.
    A. AP would use just an apostrophe with the possessive, not an apostrophe and an "s," and would use it the same way as though the United States was spelled out.
     
  10. for_the_hunt

    for_the_hunt Member

    Thanks a lot.

    We ended up rewriting the sentence, like other posters had suggested, but it was still bothering me.

    I know it's fairly trivial, but we had a fun little debate about it (Nights on copy desk can be boring ...). And this definitely adds closure to the whole thing. Thanks again.
     
  11. I absolutely agree, but sometimes goofy things like that are part of good quotes.
     
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