Apostrophes in Acronyms????

[Big Frank]

I am one of those people (surprise surprise) who jumps out of his pram when he sees the incorrect use of the apostrophe. For example on a recent trip to the UK (and this is still festering inside me, I really need to discuss it with one of my shrinks...) I saw a pub menu that stated the plural of "Lunch" as follows:

Sunday Lunche's

and I also saw it written

Sunday Lunch's

But one area I'm really not sure about at all is the use of the apostrophe in Acronyms. For example, a MMORPG is a Massively Multiple Online Role Playing Game. Is the plural of this:

MMORPGs

or

MMORPG's ?



Your thoughts please...

[PixelDust]

I would use MMORPGs without the apostrophe. Apostrophes are used to show possession.

[gwpriester]

There is an amusing book written on the incorrect use of the apostrophe as you have noted.

Another very common misuse is to refer to a period of time, the 70's with an apostrophe. The correct use is the 70s or the 1970s unless the use is, Bridget Fonda was the 70's child.

But what about text used on websites and more often than should be, in ads where a tic mark is incorrectly used for an apostrophe? But don't get me started.

[Big Frank]

I agree with both of you, I wouldn't use the apostrophe in the example I cited, but in its common usage it's used incorrectly so often, that I'm in danger of forgetting its intended use, it's frustrating, is what it is!!!

I'd say mmorpgs as well, but I note that the vast majority of people, on the lazy sms-speak infected web, add the apostrophe

It's a crying shame

[zaphodeist]

I probably wouldn't use the apostrophe in this case, but there is an argument for it I suppose - to distinguish the S from the acronym itself and to imply missing letters, as in "wasn't"

[Soquili]

I'm of the old school where acronyms should be upper case and the s to make it plural should be lower case.

I also agree with Frank that it is getting confusing as to which is correct and which is not.

Now someone please help me, it's is a contraction of it is or is it showing it possesses something?

[zaphodeist]

Neither ... the apostrophe indicates missing characters [including a space]

[Soquili]

Sorry John we seem to be having a common language but separate understanding of the term contraction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraction_(grammar)

[zaphodeist]

Just me being dense actually [it is 06:00 here! ]

[Soquili]

Early to rise or staying up late addicted to Xara?

I know, staying up late (again).