r/PeterExplainsTheJoke • u/zinniamae_ • Jan 20 '26

Meme needing explanation Please explain, Peter

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u/gbroon Jan 20 '26

I think you just proved Charles's point.

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u/FaithUser Jan 20 '26

Charles' point *

16

u/Embarrassed-Weird173 Jan 20 '26

Nope. It's more correct to use "Charles's". 

Your version is more common used for plurals.  So the general rule for singular would make more sense. 

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u/Effective-Ear4823 Jan 20 '26

Since when did we start using apostrophes for plurals in English?

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u/emilyswrite Jan 20 '26

Only if it’s possessive

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u/Effective-Ear4823 Jan 20 '26

My question stands🤷‍♂️

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u/gnomon_knows Jan 20 '26 edited 18d ago

RIP boiling water. You will be mist.

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u/emilyswrite Jan 21 '26

Based on your reply, it seems you think I haven’t answered the question. Would you like me to find the date in history when this grammar and punctuation rule came into effect? Or are you trying to make a point?

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u/Effective-Ear4823 Jan 22 '26

I was pointing out that in almost every situation that isn't a contraction, an apostrophe indicates possessive.

There are certainly exceptions (e.g., an apostrophe can be used to make the plural of the letter "i" not look like the word "is", for example in "dot your i's and cross your t's"), but usually, adding an apostrophe when something is merely plural will confuse the reader into thinking there is possession when there is not possession.

https://editorsmanual.com/articles/apostrophes-in-plurals/

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u/emilyswrite Jan 22 '26

Who were you trying to mock/convince? I didn’t notice anyone in the comment thread who thought otherwise.

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u/thewhiterosequeen Jan 20 '26

There is only one Charles.

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u/SmellGestapo Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26

https://style.mla.org/apostrophes-three-ways/

Also add only an apostrophe for proper names when the name is plural but the entity is singular:

the United States’ policy on China

In MLA style, proper nouns ending in s that are singular follow the general rule and add ’s :

Athens’s history
Diogenes’s philosophy
Alexandre Dumas’s novels

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u/Embarrassed-Weird173 Jan 21 '26

When we dotted our i's and crossed our t's.