When Richmond won the flag in 2017, those of us who spend time thinking about these things, decided that the content of that year’s book of the season lent itself to thinking that The Tigers’ Almanac 2017 was a book of the Tigers’ fans for the Tigers’ fans. Hence it was The Tigers’ Almanac 2017.
The 2016 edition was The Doggies Almanac 2016. No apostrophe. The Doggies was considered to be the name of the club. Like The Collingwood Almanac.
Similarly, the 2018 edition was The Eagles Almanac 2018. No apostrophe.
The Tiges have won the flag again. Initially, for consistency, we called the book of this season The Tigers’ Almanac. But maybe it should be The Tigers Almanac 2019. As in The Richmond Almanac which is to be enjoyed by all. A good reason for this is that it includes some articles not specifically about Richmond – eg a season review for each club.
Righto grammar (and language) lovers, your thoughts?
Either way you can still purchase a copy HERE.
We’ve dropped the apostrophe. It’s now The Tigers Almanac 2019.
Here’s the adjusted cover:
About John Harms
JTH is a writer, publisher, speaker, historian. He is publisher and contributing editor of The Footy Almanac and footyalmanac.com.au. He has written columns and features for numerous publications. His books include Confessions of a Thirteenth Man, Memoirs of a Mug Punter, Loose Men Everywhere, Play On, The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story and Life As I Know It (with Michelle Payne). He appears (appeared?) on ABCTV's Offsiders. He can be contacted [email protected] He is married to The Handicapper and has three school-age kids - Theo, Anna, Evie. He might not be the worst putter in the world but he's in the worst four. His ambition was to lunch for Australia but it clashed with his other ambition - to shoot his age.
I’m on the no apostrophe team. I thought the apostrophe for the 2017 book was a dreadful mistake (but the joy of the Tigers being the subject of the book outweighed all other concerns). Tigers is an adjective in the title, just like the Doggies in 2016. You don’t call the website the Footy’s Almanac.
With the apostrophe it would mean that the Almanac belongs to the Tigers. It doesn’t belong to the Tigers. Without the apostrophe is just describes the content – their season and premiership.
Both titles imply, to me, they are about Richmond and nothing else.
Irrespective of the apostrophe, the titles don’t reflect the fact that there are season reviews from each club. Maybe this should be mentioned somewhere on the cover?
Substitute Tigers with Richmond
What would it be?
No apostrophe
Hey, was that a Haiku?
Do one of each, then the next one can be The Tigers’s Almanac.
While I’m not a Tigers fan, I like the apostrophe as it connotes ownership and authority and that’s what they did in 2019. And by extension this edition of the Almanac in many ways belongs to the Tigers.
Conveys the meaning, there is logic (if contested) behind its usage – play on, the ball is free
A quirk here that I like is that only 2017 has the possessive apostrophe.
2016 Doggies Almanac
2017 Tigers’ Almanac
2018 Eagles Almanac
So many rabbit-holes.
I like the wondering.
Does the Almanac “belong” to a club? yes and no.
Does the year “belong” to a club? yes and no.
Glad we got that sorted.
If they win next year I am looking forward to the “Tigers#!**!# Almanac 2020”.
(On a related grammatical matter does the full stop go inside or outside the quotation mark? Outside always looks right to me with a full stop; but wrong with a question or exclamation mark where the inflection seems part of the statement. “……….”. or “……….. .” or “…………..?” or “…………….”?
“Phew”!
or “Phew!”
Agree with Gill.
The use of the apostrophe connotes a false possessive.
‘Tigers’ in this case is an adjective.
No apostrophe needed.
I’m a fan of The Beatles.
A Beatles fan.
If I was a fan of the Tigers,
I would be a Tigers fan.
Cheers,
HB.
Decision!
While there are arguments for both positions the overwhelming view is that this is not the Almanac of Tigers supporters or of the Richmond FC only, it is an Almanac which is about The Tigers premiership season written for all footy fans. It’s a celebration of footy. It belongs to everyone.
So it is now The Tigers Almanac.
Thanks for all the input via comments, Twitter and direct email. It shows how much people love language and meaning. Seems we’re creatures with more than just opposable thumbs.
JTH
Yes.
Next year’s Almanac will be the Tigers’s Almanac. That’ll give us a full set!
PB, the current Australian Government Style Guide says the full stop should be within the quotation mark but I hate that – I think context should dictate its placement.
There’ll be none of this confusion with the Carlton Almanac.