Spelling of plural DJ

[Alex]

Hi Guys,

I really want your opinion on something....

I'm currently having an argument (discussion) with a fellow DJ regarding the 'spelling' of DJs when used in a sentence like this:

1) Our DJs are highly sought after
...or...
2) Our DJ's are highly sought after

Now, I know it's the first one... my friend is saying it's the second one!
I tried to prove it via Spellcheck... but both are accepted LOL

[simonp]

If you're putting the apostrophe in, you're basically saying

DJ is

and in the context of the example sentence it's wrong to use the apostrophe

[BeerFunk]

Well.... :D

I think... either is acceptable!

The apostrophe hides a portion of a word which is missing, to make shorthand, as I'm sure everyone knows. There is an example right there : "I am" = "I'm".

So on that basis, taking the term DJ as a word, rather than an abbreviation, you would have 'DJs' without an apostrophe.

However, as 'DJ' is an abbreviation of 'Disc Jockey', you could argue that the apostrophe symbolises the shortening of 'Disc Jockey' to DJ'.

Personally, I prefer 'DJs' - without the apostrophe :)

[simonp]

Well.... :D

I think... either is acceptable!

The apostrophe hides a portion of a word which is missing, to make shorthand, as I'm sure everyone knows. There is an example right there : "I am" = "I'm".

So on that basis, taking the term DJ as a word, rather than an abbreviation, you would have 'DJs' without an apostrophe.

However, as 'DJ' is an abbreviation of 'Disc Jockey', you could argue that the apostrophe symbolises the shortening of 'Disc Jockey' to DJ'.

Personally, I prefer 'DJs' - without the apostrophe :)

Take that with a pinch of salt, he speaks Scottish, not English :d

[rossken]

With an apostrophe means belonging to someone. For example "the DJ's laptop".

Without an apostrophe is simply the plural. For example "X Entertainment has lots of DJs all over the UK".

Well that's what I learnt in English anyway!

So to answer the question... no apostrophe is needed.

[Danno13]

Well.... :D

I think... either is acceptable!

The apostrophe hides a portion of a word which is missing, to make shorthand, as I'm sure everyone knows. There is an example right there : "I am" = "I'm".

So on that basis, taking the term DJ as a word, rather than an abbreviation, you would have 'DJs' without an apostrophe.

However, as 'DJ' is an abbreviation of 'Disc Jockey', you could argue that the apostrophe symbolises the shortening of 'Disc Jockey' to DJ'.

Personally, I prefer 'DJs' - without the apostrophe :)

But surely it would be D'J's as you're missing letters out between the D and the J as well as between the J and S.

And then surley any other abbrehiavtion would follow the same rule B'M'W, K'F'C etc etc

It's definitley DJs :)

[Excalibur]

Propeller did this one, ages ago.I can't remember exactly, but I'm sure he voted for option1 as being more correct, although both were permissible. I use option 2.

[BeerFunk]

Take that with a pinch of salt, he speaks Scottish, not English :d:mad: :p


With an apostrophe means belonging to someone. For example "the DJ's laptop"....

So to answer the question... no apostrophe is needed.That's not quite true, take the example at the start of this very sentence ;)


But surely it would be D'J's as you're missing letters out between the D and the J as well as between the J and S.

And then surley any other abbrehiavtion would follow the same rule B'M'W, K'F'C etc etc

It's definitley DJs :)Yes, I know it doesn't quite add up, which is why I also prefer 'DJs'. I think an apostrophe at the end of a multiple word abbreviation is acceptable though, when the abbreviation then becomes a plural.

Look what happens if you capitalise 'DJs' - you get DJS, which looks like a three word abbreviation. DJ'S seems acceptable here.

It would be a bit ridiculous to place an apostrophe between every word in a multiple word abbreviation as well.

Maybe there isn't a right or wrong answer here - acceptable grammar and punctuation does evolve over time :)

[funkymook]

It is generally acceptable to use apostrophes to show plurals of single lower-case letters, such as be sure to dot your i's and cross your t's.

Upper case letters need no apostrophe

I got three As in my exams

except when there is a risk of misreading, such as at the start of a sentence:

A's are the highest marks achievable in these exams.

[Corabar Steve]

Plural = without
Belonging to the DJ = with
The DJ is doing something = with
Belonging to the the plural of the DJ = with but after the s to denote the absence of a second s
The plural of the DJ is doing something = without followed by the word are
:sj:

[Booche]

Plural = without
Belonging to the DJ = with
The DJ is doing something = with
Belonging to the the plural of the DJ = with but after the s to denote the absence of a second s
The plural of the DJ is doing something = without followed by the word are
:sj:

Bloody hell Steve think these words spring to mind

Spanner in the works :sofa: lol

[Corabar Steve]

Why?

[Booche]

Why?

All the reasons lol

I thought it might have been a easy answer till you put all that lol :o :p

Edit: But it's very good to know, i actually learnt from that steve :D

[Corabar Steve]

But it's correct.

[Booche]

But it's correct.

Which is why I learnt from it :D

[paulg]

The apostrophe has three uses:

1) to form possessives of nouns
2) to show the omission of letters
3) to indicate plurals of letters, numbers and symbols.

Apostrophes are NOT used for possessive pronouns or for noun plurals nor after acronyms.

[JTRS]

My take on it is this.........

Disk Jockey is shortened to DJ.

So, if we arrange a meeting and a few DJs turn up you don't need an apostrophe

However, if we are talking about something that is for more than one DJ then the apostrophe is required after the s to denote that there is more than one DJ, eg London School for DJs'

That's how I see it, but I'm no English teacher

JTRS JTR'S JTRS' *

*Delete as appropriate