alytical practical grammar - Toronto Public Library

ETYMOLOGY-NOUNS-CASE. 31
THE PLURAL OF PROPER NAMES.
161. Proper names for the most part want the plnral; but-
1. Proper names without a title are used in the plural, when they refer
to a race or family; as, "The Campbells." "the Stuarts j" or to several
persons of the same name; as, "The twelve Ca;sars j" or when they are
used to denote character; as," The Ciceros of tbe age."
2. Proper names with the title of Mrs. prefixed, 01' with any title, pre·
ceded by the numerals, two, three, &c., pluralize the name, and not the
ti tIe; as, " The Mrs. Howards j" .. thCi two Miss fllortons j" "the two MI'.
H~nrys."
3. But when several per.ons of the same name are spoken of individually,
and distinguished by a particular appellation, or when persons of
different names are spoken of together, the title ollly, and not ti,e name
is marle plural; as," Misses Julia and Mary Robinson ;n .. 1I1es91's. George
and Andrew Thomson;" .. Messrs. Pratt, Woodford, & Co."
Thus far, usage and the rule are settled and uniform; but-
4. In other cases, usage is still unsettled. Some writers, perhaps the
majority, pluraEze the title aud not the name; as, "The Misses Brown;"
"the Messrs. Harper." Others, of equal authority, rpgardiIlg the title as
a sort of adjective, or the whole as a compound name, pluralize the name
and not the title; ao, the Miss Browns j" "the 1111'. Harpers." This form
is mor'e common in conversation, and, being lesa stiff and formal, is more
likely to prevail. A few irnp~operl}' pluralize hoth name and title; as,
"The Misses Browns j" "the fllessrs. Harpers,"
6. N am(>s with other titles prefixed, follow the same analogy; as, .. Lords
Wellington anel Lynedoch;" "the lords bishops of Dur ham and St.
David's;" "the geneIals Scott and Taylor."
CASES OF NOUNS.
162. CASE is the state or condition of a noun with
respect to the other words in a sentence. See 164-166.
163. Nouns in English have three cases, the Nominative,
Possessive, and Objective.