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Patients, relatives and medical professionals\' experiences with therapy groups

English translation: 3 possessives=3 apostrophes

13:49 Aug 15, 2016
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Medical - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc. / With or without apostrophes? Title of a paper
English term or phrase: Patients, relatives and medical professionals\' experiences with therapy groups
Patients, relatives and medical professionals' experiences with therapy groups
or
Patients', families' and medical professionals' experiences with therapy groups
?

This is the title of an academic paper I am editing. (Well, not exactly, but the grammatical question is the same.) It is generally well written by a non-native speaker of English.
I would rephrase it, but as it is the accepted title, that is not possible.

I received it without the apostrophes, and added them, but somehow they look wrong.

The paper is for publication in the US, and of course, I checked in the Chicago Manual of Style.
As far as I can see, the rule is:
Gilbert and Sullivan's operas (only one apostrophe, as the possessive applies jointly to all their operas)
BUT
Gilbert's or Sullivan's mustache (apostrophes for both, as each has his own mustache...)

The paper goes on to discuss how the therapy groups were experienced by the different participants - how the patients felt they benefited, whether the groups were helpful to the relatives, and what they thought, and finally the professionals' assessments and comments.

In short, three sets of experiences, although they overlap, and are all discussed together in the paper.

I am inclined towards three apostrophes, but I know I will have to explain this to my client.

All comments gratefully considered!
Christine Andersen
Denmark
Local time: 02:50
Selected answer:3 possessives=3 apostrophes
Explanation:
so three as each group has their own experiences. But you're right...it would be much better to rephrase

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2016-08-16 16:51:24 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad to have helped and yes, I did answer your original question as simply as possible so you could explain to the client as easily as possible:-)

Of course, as I said initially, I think it would be better rephrased but you DID say that wasn't possible and, since you're an English native, you probably need no help with that anyway! But there are lots of other ways of phrasing it Rachel's or Phil's or even "Experiences of patients, families and medical professionals with therapy groups"OR "Experiences with therapy groups of patients, families and medical professionals"
Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 01:50
Grading comment
Thanks - this answered my question and backed up my reasoning - and came fast, so I did not spend any more time wondering about it.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5Patients, relatives and medical professionals: experiences with therapy groups
Rachel Fell
4 +43 possessives=3 apostrophes
Yvonne Gallagher
4Patients, relatives and medical professionals' experiences with therapy groups
mrachidi


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
patients, relatives and medical professionals\' experiences with therapy groups
Patients, relatives and medical professionals: experiences with therapy groups


Explanation:
To be neater,etc.

Rachel Fell
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:50
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Wish I could divide the points... I agree entirely, and will suggest this to the client anyway. She might be able to use it, or it will be an idea for follow-up work, which is likely to come later. She does note my comments!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lingua 5B
8 hrs
  -> Thank you Lingua 5B :-)
agree  Tina Vonhof (X): That is an option and one that is quite common in journal articles.
15 hrs
  -> Thank you Tina :-)
agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa: Much easier to read and understand than the original.
15 hrs
  -> Thank you Yasutomo :-)
agree  acetran
16 hrs
  -> Thank you acetran :-)
agree  writeaway: neat solution
17 hrs
  -> Thank you writeaway :-)
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
patients, relatives and medical professionals\' experiences with therapy groups
Patients, relatives and medical professionals' experiences with therapy groups


Explanation:
I would recommend only one apostrophe because having three apostrophes in one single sentence would seem awkward. So:
"Patients, relatives and medical professionals' experiences with therapy groups."
will do.
I would recommend in the second example:
Gilbert 's mustache or Sullivan 's. No need to repeat "mustache."


mrachidi
United States
Local time: 20:50
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
patients, relatives and medical professionals\' experiences with therapy groups
3 possessives=3 apostrophes


Explanation:
so three as each group has their own experiences. But you're right...it would be much better to rephrase

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2016-08-16 16:51:24 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad to have helped and yes, I did answer your original question as simply as possible so you could explain to the client as easily as possible:-)

Of course, as I said initially, I think it would be better rephrased but you DID say that wasn't possible and, since you're an English native, you probably need no help with that anyway! But there are lots of other ways of phrasing it Rachel's or Phil's or even "Experiences of patients, families and medical professionals with therapy groups"OR "Experiences with therapy groups of patients, families and medical professionals"

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 01:50
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 24
Grading comment
Thanks - this answered my question and backed up my reasoning - and came fast, so I did not spend any more time wondering about it.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sheila Wilson: Such a shame it can't be rephrased though. It's horrible with all those apostrophes.
12 mins
  -> yes, ridiculous really that such a title is approved:-)
agree  Armorel Young
23 mins
  -> Thanks:-)
agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa
2 hrs
  -> Thanks:-)
agree  Victoria Britten
8 hrs
  -> Thanks:-)
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