Grammar

[MFS62]

Is the team name Mets singular or plural?
When you want to describe the people who root for the team, are they Mets fans or should there be an apostrophe between the t and the s in Mets?. After the s?

Later

[Edgy MD]

The team name is plural.

There should be no apostrophe, in general. The relationship isn't really possessive.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Definitely plural. You don't say "the Mets is"; you say "the Mets are".

As for the apostrophe, in "Mets fans" I do think that Mets is an adjective. But you'd say, "Terry Collins is the "Mets' manager" but you'd also use "Mets manager Terry Collins."

Does that sound right?

[MFS62]

Yes.
I've written some pretty convoluted sentences trying to avoid making a mistake. ("The fans of the Mets..")
Thanks.
Later

[Edgy MD]

"Mets fans are angry."

"The Mets' fans are angry."

Both are fine. The latter implies something different in the relationship, though.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: "Mets fans are angry." "The Mets' fans are angry." Both are fine. The latter implies something different in the relationship, though.

Please explain the difference. I thought the first answer was sufficient.

Later

[RealityChuck]

"The Mets fans are angry" uses "Mets" as a modifier, similar to "The baseball fans are angry."

"The Mets' fans are angry" implies that somehow the Mets own the fans, similar to "The Mets' dogs are angry."

[MFS62]

Got it.
Thanks.
Later

[HahnSolo]

I always wondered why it said "A's" with the apostrophe on the Athletics caps.

[Frayed Knot]

Probably because the apostrophe is standing in for the missing letters rather than indicating a contraction.
Also I think it's because [u:218s7b5m]As[/u:218s7b5m] by itself looks funny



This all reminds me of the time one of John Gotti's grandsons opened a tanning salon (what else?) and hung a sign saying: GOTTIS TAN'S

[Edgy MD]

A traditional use of apostrophes is to pluralize entities known by a single letter.

"As" not only looks funny, but it leads your mind to attempt to pronounce it as "as."

[Edgy MD]

Orioles also use the apostrophe:



As have the Mariners:

[RealityChuck]

That's because a single letter is made plural with an apostrophe: Mind your P's and Q's.

The A's did it, too.

[MFS62]

Frayed Knot wrote: This all reminds me of the time one of John Gotti's grandsons opened a tanning salon (what else?) and hung a sign saying: GOTTIS TAN'S

The misuse of the apostrophe really bugs me. That's why I asked the question.
I refuse to eat in a place that uses "Pizza's" in their signage or advertising.

Later

[Edgy MD]

RealityChuck wrote: That's because a single letter is made plural with an apostrophe: Mind your P's and Q's. The A's did it, too.

Yes, the question was about the A's.

[seawolf17]

Plus I understand the A's do it as well.

[Edgy MD]

Much better.