manicminer Posted 12 October , 2023 Share Posted 12 October , 2023 Can anyone solve a conundrum for me please? When did the Lovat's Scouts change name to the Lovat Scouts? Searched the internet but find only conflicting answers and usage of the apostrophe. TIA Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 12 October , 2023 Share Posted 12 October , 2023 The possessive disappeared from the Army List in 1922 after which the regiment were known as Lovat Scouts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manicminer Posted 16 October , 2023 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2023 Thanks, Jay, for the response Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 16 October , 2023 Share Posted 16 October , 2023 Sorry, Macminer and Jay, I do not wish to hijack this Topic ... But having been a language teacher (that was almost a quarter of a century ago) and hence (still) a nitpicker, I am still interested in why there is no apostrophe in "In Flanders Fields". Shouldn't it be In Flanders' Fields ? No one has ever been able to give me a satisfying answer. Am I the only nitpicker ? Or just wrong when wanting to write In Flanders' Fields ? Even the Ypres Museum "couldn't care less" ... Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 16 October , 2023 Admin Share Posted 16 October , 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 16 October , 2023 Share Posted 16 October , 2023 (edited) When used in English, I think Flanders can be an adjective such as in Flanders Poppy. Beaten to it by Russ T! Edited 16 October , 2023 by PhilB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 16 October , 2023 Share Posted 16 October , 2023 Phil and Russ, I understand, and agree. (About a proper noun being used as an adjective. One of my favourite jokes started with : "Some Texas cowboys were telling yarns ..." I would never suggest that "Some Texas' cowboys" or "Some Texan cowboys ..." looks or sounds better. And yes, John McCrae has the right to call the poem whatever he likes. But let me ask you a question ... How would you translate "De Geschiedenis van Vlaanderen" ? As Flanders history ? As Flanders' history ? As the history of Flanders ? Or who knows, maybe as Flemish history ? (Flemish = our adjective Vlaamse.) I see my dictionary translates "De Vlaamse Leeuw" (= our flag) as : the Flemish Lion and the Lion of Flanders. (I agree : the Flanders' Lion does not sound well, does it ?) Nitpicker Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 16 October , 2023 Admin Share Posted 16 October , 2023 1 minute ago, Aurel Sercu said: How would you translate "De Geschiedenis van Vlaanderen" The (or A) History of Flanders Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 16 October , 2023 Share Posted 16 October , 2023 Russ, I see. And ... does a sentence like Flanders' history is full of battles sound or look odd ? (That's why it is called "Het slagveld (= battlefield) van Europa.") Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 16 October , 2023 Admin Share Posted 16 October , 2023 17 minutes ago, Aurel Sercu said: And ... does a sentence like Flanders' history is full of battles sound or look odd ? I would say it looks more odd than it sounds - because in saying it no one knows whether you have used an apostrophe or not Nevertheless, my preference would be the history of Flanders is full of battles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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