A language learners’ forum

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A language learners’ forum

Shouldn't the apostrophe come before the "-s" since "a language learner" is singular?

No, language learners' is plural, and in English for a plural which ends with an s you just use the apostrophe.

rdearman wrote:No, language learners' is plural, and in English for a plural which ends with an s you just use the apostrophe.

Oh, right, I see that language learners' is being used similarly to an adjective in relation to forum. I feel a little silly about having asked this now since English is my native language, but in my defence, both are possible, but with slightly different nuance. Preposing the "-s" with an apostrophe would be similar to, for example, "an American's guide to Canada". That's how I read it as, so the apostrophe placement struck me as odd at first.

Ah. I didn't look at your language list when i posted.

But the article "A" refers to the language learner, not the forum, indicating that language learner is singular. In this reading, the apostrophe should precede the s.

In the alternate reading, if "A" refers to the forum, then I don't see a need for the possessive apostrophe at all. In that case, "language learners" would be an adjective.

Tomás wrote:But the article "A" refers to the language learner, not the forum, indicating that language learner is singular. In this reading, the apostrophe should precede the s.

In the alternate reading, if "A" refers to the forum, then I don't see a need for the possessive apostrophe at all. In that case, "language learners" would be an adjective.

That's not the way I parsed it. I parsed it as [A [language learner's [forum]]].

galaxyrocker wrote:

Tomás wrote:But the article "A" refers to the language learner, not the forum, indicating that language learner is singular. In this reading, the apostrophe should precede the s.

In the alternate reading, if "A" refers to the forum, then I don't see a need for the possessive apostrophe at all. In that case, "language learners" would be an adjective.

That's not the way I parsed it. I parsed it as [A [language learner's [forum]]].

I think we agree. I would put the apostrophe either in front of the s, or eliminate it altogether.

Tomás wrote:

galaxyrocker wrote:

Tomás wrote:But the article "A" refers to the language learner, not the forum, indicating that language learner is singular. In this reading, the apostrophe should precede the s.

In the alternate reading, if "A" refers to the forum, then I don't see a need for the possessive apostrophe at all. In that case, "language learners" would be an adjective.

That's not the way I parsed it. I parsed it as [A [language learner's [forum]]].

I think we agree. I would put the apostrophe either in front of the s, or eliminate it altogether.

It's absolutely correct the way it is, unless one takes the position that "so many people are confused about the rule, and it's been used incorrectly so many times, that wrong is now an alternate form of right."

"A forum for language learners" would eliminate the argument, which might be a good thing since I'm sure it will come up again at some point.

Why not just eliminate the "A"? It's doing no work there.

Xmmm wrote:A forum for language learners" would eliminate the argument, which might be a good thing since I'm sure it will come up again at some point.

I think keeping it is a good thing, in order to stimulate more debate about English grammar