Off-Topic in a Big Way: Changes in the Associated Press Stylebook

When I was told that the writing services I was performing for my client American Diversified Energy needed to conform to their stylebook, I was somewhat shocked.  Who has their own?  ADE is a very professional organization, and they certainly have the right to do whatever they want in this regard, but this isn’t the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, right?  The Associated Press Stylebook is the default for U.S. publications, and it actually never dawned on me that someone would direct me otherwise. 

But, like anything else, the rules that guide the proper use of the English language are constantly changing, generally in the direction of relaxation rather than making us come off as more stilted and pompous.

But here’s a step in the wrong direction, if you ask me: “We are considering changing to use ’s when making a name that ends in S possessive: Mavis Staples’s album, Martha Reeves’s concert.”

Hold on a second here.  The reason we write “Martha Reeves’ concert” is that, at least in part, we’re directing the pronunciation of that phrase.  The possessive form of Martha’s surname needs to be spoken as one syllable, and there is no reason to add ambiguity to that, or make speakers question wonder if they are mispronouncing the name of the event they attended last night.

Thus, we have a rule of grammar that is actually rooted in courtesy.  As etiquette maven Emily Post put it, “Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.”

Let’s be kind to our readers.