Oh, the questions that are out there in Blogland about the Mother's Day apostrophe. You know I just have to dip my oar in.
A version of Mother's Day is celebrated in many countries around the world on many different days of the year. A quick Google or Wikipedia search will tell you this. The most popular days are Mothering Sunday in the UK which is on the third Sunday of Lent and Mother's Day in many other countries on the second Sunday in May.
If your country celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May it is likely that you follow the US tradition inspired by the quest of Anna Jarvis, who wanted a 'holy' recognition of individual mothers and Julia Ward Howe, whose experiences of the American Civil War led her to call for the recognition of the role of mothers. Formal recognition of a Mother's Day as designated by Jarvis was was finally enshrined by the 1914 proclamation by then US President Woodrow Wilson.
The location of the apostrophe is part of the common debate which asks:
- Is it a day recognising your mother eg. Mother's Day
- Is it a day recognising all mothers eg. Mothers' Day, or
- Is it a day of/for mothers eg. Mothers Day
There are no winners here because all answers can be correct depending on your point of view. My view is: don't argue, choose whichever one you are comfortable with.
However, if you are a stickler for the fine print you will notice that the Proclamation issued by Woodrow Wilson in 1914 was for a Mother's Day. This use of the apostrophe was apparently stipulated by Anna Jarvis because:
it was to be a singular possessive, for each family to honour their mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world. source: here
Anna Jarvis, in fact, trademarked the terms "Mother's Day" and "second Sunday in May" in 1912.
So, if your country follows the US designation then it is correct when referring to the day in its official capacity to write Mother's Day (unless an alternative proclamation has been made in your country).
You just NEEDED to know that, didn't you...
13 comments:
I actually was hoping you or Tracey would clarify this for me. I can't remember who brought it up on the blogs, but it has been nagging at me ever since.
I'm assuming your kids turn in perfect essays?
Yeah but ... yeah but ... okay, stick with what you like, but please don't fall for the no-apostrophe cop-out! And since when have the septics been the umpires?
It is somethiing I ponder.. a lot. I always think if you can't work it out then turn it around so you don't have to use it.
Is everyone comfotable with the Day of Mother. No apostrophe necessary.
Lesley, I think that if you go with the no-apostrophe you are putting it in the same basket as 'sports car' (car for sports, no apostrophe).
But in this case my personal view is to go for Mother's Day in line with general editorial practise.
Oh...can we move on, already? Enough with the Mother's/Mothers'/Mothers Day. It's over. Let it go.
Now, for something far more urgent(we have only 16 weeks and 2 days to work on this...)
Father's Day? Fathers Day? Fathers' Day? What does Woodrow Wilson have to say about this one?
Oh Fairlie, we all know that Father's Day doesn't count. I'll leave that one up to you.
Erm, that was my blog asked that. Thanks M! I feel like I got it right now.
WOW where have I been?? I haven't even noticed it on blogs, although I suppose maybe I haven't looked at a lot this week, I didn't know it was an issue, but I have always just assumed it was 's and hadn't thought of it any other way
Laughing here.
Next year, each time I mention *that* day, I am going to put an apostrophe - or not put an apostrophe - in a different place each time.
That'll learn 'em....
Linda: you may not have noticed because (a) you are a balanced person who doesn't delve into the pettiness that is grammar-nerding, or(b) there was no debate and I was shamelessing making it all up as an excuse to write a post about apostrophes :-)
Alice: I'd put a call out for an official "let's put apostrophes in the wrong place" day, but no-one would notice the difference...
I bet you read Eats Roots and Leaves, didn't you? (I did too).
I hadn't come across this angst in blogland either, and I have always written Mothers' Day, assuming it's a celebration for all mothers everywhere.
Also, I find it quite bizarre that someone would try and trademark the phrase 'second Sunday in May'. Is it me, or is that just plain wrong?
Pretty tutu (on post above). I bet she looked a treat.
Okay, sports car did rattle my argument — temporarily — but what about shoe bag? Bag for ... shoe? Huh? Huh?
And while I'm being nerdy, have you noticed the creeping-in of 'showed' as the past participle instead of 'shown'? Similarly mowed/mown. It's like nails on a blackboard.
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