Mothers vs Mother's vs Mothers' day

[bobchitown]

Which is correct? Discuss.

[doitb4ugo]

I would say all three are okay and correct in today's English language. Would anyone not know what was meant when each was used. Semiotics suggests that the communication element of language is served by each. Rules are only temporary place markers for the evolution of communication.

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

I defer to Hallmark.

[bigvalboy]

I defer to Adam Smith....

[AdamSmith]

I defer to Adam Smith....

 

Too many thanks. Now, consulting my arcane oracle, i.e., Wikipedia...

 

...In 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases "second Sunday in May" and "Mother's Day", and created the Mother's Day International Association.[11] She specifically noted that "Mother's" should "be a singular possessive, for each family to honor its mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers of the world."[12] This is also the spelling used by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in his 1914 presidential proclamation, by the U.S. Congress in relevant bills,[13][14]and by various U.S. presidents in their proclamations concerning Mother's Day.[15] However, "Mothers' Day" (plural possessive) or "Mothers Day" (plural non-possessive) are also sometimes seen.[where?]...

 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Day

[+ purplekow]

Don't forget to make it your mother's day part of the celebration but since we include mothers-in-law, and other pseudomothers, it really should be all mothers' day and of course for the children of lesbian couples it is mothers day. And each year we see one but over a lifetime many Mothers' Days. And as for Wilson and Jarvis, they may have been a president and a celebration day orginator, really Mothers' Day is a celebration of mothers, nothing holy about it, but grammatically, they erred or misjudged what the day would become. Now Father's Day....or is it Fathers Day or perhaps Fathers' Day

[bigvalboy]

Too many thanks. Now, consulting my arcane oracle, i.e., Wikipedia...

 

...In 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases "second Sunday in May" and "Mother's Day", and created the Mother's Day International Association.[11] She specifically noted that "Mother's" should "be a singular possessive, for each family to honor its mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers of the world."[12] This is also the spelling used by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in his 1914 presidential proclamation, by the U.S. Congress in relevant bills,[13][14]and by various U.S. presidents in their proclamations concerning Mother's Day.[15] However, "Mothers' Day" (plural possessive) or "Mothers Day" (plural non-possessive) are also sometimes seen.[where?]...

 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Day

 

Should we consult Cassie?

 

http://cassiesperfectwordblog.typepad.com/cassies_perfect_blog/2010/05/punctuating-mothers-day.html

 

Punctuating Mother's Day

"Are you wondering how to spell Mother's Day, wondering if it's capitalized, wondering if there should be an apostrophe? http://cassiesperfectwordblog.typepad.com/.a/6a00e5539c080588340134809e2481970c-320wi

 

According to the Chicago Manual of Style, “names of secular and religious holidays or specially designated days or seasons are capitalized.”

 

Easy enough. That includes the day for mothers and also the day for fathers—both “specially designated days.”

 

 

 

But what about that darn apostrophe?

 

 

 

I guess it depends on if you’re talking about a day – in the possessive sense – that belongs to just one mother (mother’s) or to all mothers (mothers’). Or how about just making it a plural day for all mothers, without any possession by any of the mothers: Mothers Day.

 

 

 

For what it’s worth, the Chicago Manual says “Mother’s Day.” My personal preference is "Mothers Day" -- a day that celebrates lot of mums, but that does not belong to anybody"

[mike carey]

I would have said Mothers Day (the day to honour mothers), the same usage as Veterans Day (Remembrance Day in Commonwealth countries). That said, I understand people using the possessive case to personalise it.

[+ Robster]

 

[Guest ChrisW]

http://cdn.someecards.com/someecards/usercards/1345040707203_9805972.png