Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

We have just recently had a discussion on this: Plurals for last names

There are differences of opinion. In my speaking and writing it would be Lemonses, just as you suggest.

If I had invited the late Jack Lemmon and his wife, I would have invited the Lemmons. But when I invite Brent and Whitney Lemons, I will have invited the Lemonses. I hear that Lemmon's wife was charming, and I am certain Lemons's wife is equally engaging. I hope one day to be invited to the Lemonses' house. Sadly, it is too late for me to be invited to the Lemmons' house.

I agree that's the most common usage for plurals. We should add that any surname ending in any sibilant (s, x, ch, sh, or z) would also follow this rule. For example, I would address a letter to the Schultz family as to "The Schultzes."

Where I often get confused is with possessive corporate or team names. Like, How would you refer to the "Green Bay Packers" (a collective proper noun) in a possessive form? I'd probably go with "Packers'" but I'm not completely sure this is correct. And if it is, would it be pronounced "packers-iz" ???

I am obsessed with the oddly regular plural form of the team Maple Leafs. Only in America! Oh, wait … .

Sports team names are ver problematic, and official style guides differ in their standards.

In most common usage, people would not consider the team names as singular collectives when they are plural in form. When people commonly call a lone member of the team by the singular form (e.g. Packer, Yankee, Met, Angel, Red Skin) they would also treat the team name as a true plural.

Then there are the Utah Jazz, the Boston Red Sox, etc., where one is forced into treating the team name as a collective.

For all names, personal, team, or corporate, I would defer to their wishes. In general, corporations that end with a possessive remain unchanged. (e.g. Standard & Poor's announced today that … . In Standard and Poor's announcement, the economic implications of these ruling are detailed … .)

Members of a ship's crew are individually called by the ship's name: When the Indefatigable is in port, the Indefatigables bring both money and trouble to the local businesses. Maybe that could be applied to the Jazzes, the Vikings and the Losers as necessary.