Do Apostrophes Depart for the Holidays?
This month, we observe Veterans Day ... or should that be "Veterans' Day" or even "Veteran's Day"?
In 1954, the holiday called "Armistice Day," commemorating the signing of the Armistice for World War I on Nov. 11, 1918, was expanded to honor all veterans of the U.S. armed services and renamed "Veterans Day."
Understandably, many of us are tempted to insert a possessive apostrophe into the name of this holidays ("Veterans' Day") for it is, after all, THEIR day.
But, in this case, "Veterans" is interpreted as an attributive noun, that is, a noun being used to describe another noun. We use attributive nouns all the time, usually in the singular, e.g., "kitchen cabinet," "tree stump," "policy decision."
However, when the attributive noun is a group of people, it sometimes seems odd not to insert an apostrophe. We want to write, for instance, "girls' soccer team," "teachers' college" and "Teamsters' Union," but most publications drop the apostrophes in these terms.
The Associated Press Stylebook explains it this way: "The apostrophe usually is not used if 'for' or 'by' rather than 'of' would be appropriate in the longer form."
The A.P. Stylebook makes an exception for plural words that don't end in "s," hence, "children's hospital," "women's basketball," "a people's republic."
Quick quiz! How would you render these holidays?:
No.1: New Year's Day, New Years' Day or New Years Day
No. 2: Groundhog's Day, Groundhogs' Day or Groundhog Day
No. 3: Valentine's Day, Valentines' Day or Valentine Day
No. 4: President's Day, Presidents' Day or Presidents Day
No. 5: April Fool's Day, April Fools' Day or April Fools Day
No. 6: Mother's Day, Mothers' Day or Mothers Day
No. 7: Father's Day, Fathers' Da or Fathers Day
No. 8: Grandparent's Day, Grandparents' Day or Grandparents Day
No. 9: Indigenous People's Day, Indigenous Peoples' Day or Indigenous Peoples Day
No. 10: New Year's Eve, New Years' Eve or New Years Eve
Bonus: What's the correct term for June 16, the day in the life of Leopold Bloom recounted in James Joyce's novel "Ulysses" -- Bloom's Day, Bloom Day or Bloomsday?
Answers (based on standard usage, with other acceptable options listed):
1. New Year's Day 2. Groundhog Day 3. Valentine's Day 4. Presidents Day (sometimes Presidents' Day) 5. April Fool's Day (sometimes April Fools' Day) 6. Mother's Day 7. Father's Day 8. Grandparents' Day or Grandparents Day 9. Indigenous Peoples' Day or Indigenous Peoples Day 10. New Year's Eve Bonus: Bloomsday.
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