Jeff writes:
I suppose it is possible that the sign is intended to read: “We do Mom’s hair and Dad’s hair too” — but given my experience of punctuation on Staten Island, I doubt it. The sign is the window of a barber shop specializing in childrens’ haircuts. To my son’s fury, they have seats shaped like cars, airplanes and fire trucks, but *not* like frogs.
#1 by Anonymous on January 13, 2009 - 12:41 am
Re “childrens’ haircuts”: please hand in your apostrophe licence to the nearest grammar teacher. Thank you.
#2 by Drew on January 13, 2009 - 10:42 am
“Sounds like somebody sat on a frog” is what my dad used to say when we were kids and someone farted…
#3 by Anonymous on January 25, 2009 - 1:36 am
We Do Mom’s and Dad’s (Hair cuts) too.
NOT: “We do [have sexual intercourse with] mom’s and dad’s. In which case the apostrophe use would be wrong as it indicates ownership. Mom’s and Dad’s what? … “hair cuts” is the answer.
This is just an object omission. The use of apostrophe with the absence of an object is correct via omission of obvious information. For instance: – the place is obviously a hair salon. I am a grammar teacher. 5 years now.