For JP, like.

[Snee]

In the case of a book belonging to Cassius, we will use the 'Chaucer' rule to place the apostrophe.

Pretend Chaucer Cassiuss book Cassiuses book
Modern correct form Cassius's book


Just apply the rule and the apostrophe will end up in the correct place. This clearly demonstrates that Cassius is singular, i.e. there is just one Cassius we are talking about, and he possesses the book.

Source, see also this, for instance.

This, however, allows for both.

The way I was taught, the genitive case in english should always be formed with the addition of an "'s" for singulars, however going without seems ok today with words ending with an "s", as it's now become more a matter of phonetics.

Initially (when the genitive form first was shaped in writing) it was a matter of spelling following phonetics as well, but for a while it was more about adhering strictly to the "correct" written form, which is where what I was taught stems from, I guess.

From what I understand, as an aside, the addition of an apostrophe was accidental, I don't think it's clear exactly why it happened. We never added it in swedish.

[Skweeky]

I've got a simple rule for this, but you probably have to speak Dutch to get it

In Dutch the genitive form is hardly ever used the way it is in English.

E.g. When indicating 'the boy's coat' you would get something along the lines of 'the boy his coat'... So obviously you need an apostrophe

[Snee]

Err, the issue at hand is the addition of an "s" for singular nouns already ending with an "s", when forming genitives


EDit: lolz, rodded by skweeky.

[JPaul]

Started reading the first link, got to "But the children
belong to the parents, you say."

Decided the author was an arse.

[JPaul]

Sorry, by way of explanation. The word "but" is a conjunction. It makes no sense to me that it is at the start of a sentence.

[JPaul]

Oh right, a conjunction is a word which links things.

For example "I am a cunt however that doesn't make me a bad person".

Or "Skizo is a faux-mod therefore I can't put him on ignore."

[JPaul]

You will see in the above that I used an apostrophe for the contraction "can't". It allows us to change "can not" to "can't".

Contractions generally make speech, or the written word, appear less formal.

[JPaul]

You have now been learned something, in spite of yourself.

[JPaul]

And it's the weekend.

[JPaul]

Me ftw.