Grammatical assistance required

[Shropshire Seagull]

Siemens's or Siemens' results?

My newspaper style guide says Siemens' results even though it is singular.

Using the singular/plural is almost correct and a basic rule of thumb but the simple and correct rule is: an apostophe is used to identifly posession or ownership and if the noun already ends in an "s" is positioned after the "s", otherwise it is apostrophe before the "s"

so
"The slave's clothing" - for one slave
"The slaves' clothing" - for many slaves
"The sheep's wool was long" - would be correct for one or many sheep.
"Siemens' results were good" - is correct for the singular noun ending in an "s"
Never is it s's

 

[London Irish]

Interesting that your newspaper style guide says that. Again, Hart's and Fowler's would have Siemens's (although Hart's does accept ambiguity in foreign words). I am surprised that a newspaper style guide doesn't follow Hart's on matters of this nature. Can you let me know who the author of your style guide is, and whether it is available to the public
God, I love this kind of stuff!

Then you may love the beautiful irony that I'm about to tell you!

The style guide is this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0273605682/026-7388135-5132419

....and its author is Colin Inman, apparantly an Albion season ticket holder! Small world.

He left the FT before I arrived so I have never met him but there may be someone out there in NSC land who knows him, big chap apparantly, obviously of retirement age.

You can get the style guide Fatbadger but here is the section Colin compiled on apostrophes:

The apostrophe is gradually disappearing. It is leaving Earls Court, though not yet Regent's Park; and as Philip Howard points out in his entertaining essay in A Word of Time, it has vanished from countless trade names (Barclays Bank, Currys, Dillons, Mothers Pride, Diners Club) and the titles of newspapers and magazines (Farmers Weekly). More place names have joined the list, perhaps not least because it makes life easier for signwriters: St Andrews. The trend is likely to continue. When in doubt, consult an atlas or gazetter.

However, the apostrophe is still used: (a) to the show the possessive case, (b) to show an omission (he's), (c) in a few plurals (dot the i's, cross the t's, the three R's), (d) in some Irish names, eg. O'Riordan.

a) possessives: An additional s after the apostrophe is normally used if the word ends with an s. But be guided by pronunciation. If the extra s would not be sounded in speech, do not add it: Mr James's book, his boss's views (one boss), his bosses' views (lots of bosses), Siemens' results, for goodness' sake, John Lewis's sales, Barclays' profits, Dickens's novels. Note also an MP's (singular); MPs' (plural).
It is possible to use the possessive of Lloyds Bank (Lloyds') but not of Lloyd's the insurance market.
The phrases 10 years' imprisonment, two weeks' holiday can be regarded as descriptive genitives (with apostrophe) or adjectival phrases (without). We should retain the apostrophe: this conforms with the singular, where it is inevitable: a year's imprisonment.
Also note Achilles heel and Achilles tendon; and Lord's, the cricket ground.
Terms such as futures market are adjectival and need no apostrophe.