Moonraker wrote: ↑13 Mar 2022, 13:02
I Googled I have a collection of Blytons, and the heading was:
Did you mean: I have a collection of Blyton's
Maybe the jury is undecided!
No, it's just that Google isn't sure what you're looking for!
If you write about "a collection of Blytons", the word "Blytons" is taking the place of "Blyton books" so it's a plural.
If you write about "a collection of Blyton's", "Blyton's" is not acting as a plural and is not taking the place of "Blyton books". It's showing possession and makes the reader ask, "A collection of Blyton's what?" If you want to use an apostrophe you need to write "a collection of Blyton's books".
We have the well-known cartoon "These are his Enid Blytons..." on our Cave of Books page:
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Yes, on the whole I am, too! Imagine having a collection of van Gogh paintings - I have quite a few, but they're copies! I would say, I have a collection of van Goghs, including van Gogh's Sunflowers.
It's Blytons if you're using the term "Blyton" as shorthand for "a work by Enid Blyton" (therefore "Blytons" is a straight plural), and Blyton's if you're talking about something belonging to Blyton (i.e. it's a possessive). Simples.
(Gosh, my computer underscores "Blytons" in red, not recognising the word, but it doesn't underscore "Simples". It's obviously become a big enough catchphrase in the past decade or so that it's now in the dictionary!! )
Society Member
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
Yep - I agree too. It's just a plural when used like that.
As an aside, I hate the snide use of 'simples' online. Bad enough when someone gives terrible advice like 'Can't afford a house, stop buying avocado toast. Simple.' But when they make it simples I could scream
I suppose I should just be grateful they didn't write simple's.
The discussion that followed this has been moved to the 'English Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary' thread:
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
I've just read Twitch by M. G. Leonard, a children's mystery story with a birdwatching theme. Some of the characters meet to discuss how to tackle a criminal and one of them (named Pamela!) refers to the Secret Seven, saying, "I don't want to put a dampener on this Secret Seven tribute party, but how on earth are we going to...?"
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
I've just read a series of murder mystery books by Rebecca Tope where in a couple of them the lady sleuth says she feels like a member of the Famous Five. I haven't got the books now - they were lent to me, so I can't quote the exact phrase.
In another by another author, which I have just finished, two characters are getting to know each other and ask what their favourite childrens' book was. "The Faraway Tree" says one. "I liked the Saucepanhead person." "Saucepan Man" the other corrects her!
Last edited by Daisy on 22 Oct 2022, 10:00, edited 1 time in total.
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.
That's good, Daisy. These brief nods in the direction of Enid Blyton would seem to indicate that a number of authors view her in a positive light and think of her books with affection.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
In the second author I quoted,(Charlotte Butterfield) there was also this reference which I must say I had to read more than once before I realized what the author was trying to say!
The setting is the present day where one of the leading characters is gaining fame on TV for his cookery skills. This is what I read... "Oh you mean an organic kitchen supper?" they had both sniggered at Jayne's sarcastic reference to how a recent customer had described her upcoming informal dinner party to Will - a term that hadn't been rolled out since cousin George got Julian, Dick and Anne in a spot of bother.
I didn't immediately think of the Famous Five and wondered for a moment who these new characters were! I wonder how many readers were left scratching their heads if they hadn't met the Five!
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.
Yes, that's a good point Daisy. It would be fairly obvious to a fan of the FF, although I can't remember George ever having an 'organic kitchen supper'! Unless that's modern speak for fried eggs and bacon over a camp fire?
I don't see what's Famous Five-ish about "organic kitchen supper" either. Even if the author is just referring to the word "supper", that's not particularly Blyton-ish. There are loads of books in which characters enjoy "a bite of supper" and many children will have come across the word at an early age in nursery rhymes like "Little Tommy Tucker/Sings for his supper." In some regions of Britain, the word is still popular. The term "fish supper" or "fish and chip supper" is quite frequently used, for instance.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
