I doubt if there is a hard and fast answer to my question even though it is about grammar/punctuation, so I’m really polling y’all for opinions on how this should look.
In my neighborhood, it’s common for homes to have a sign in front, perhaps above the mailbox, with either the name of the property (“Dun Row Min”) or the family (“Brown”).
Sometimes the family name is made into a more descriptive phase like “The Browns” or “The Brown’s”. Since this is not a complete sentence, there must be some parts assumed, and what is assumed can affect the punctuation.
If the part assumed is “The Browns [live here]”, then “Browns” is correct (plural).
But if the part assumed is “[This is] The Brown’s [home]”, then “Brown’s” is correct (possessive), and although I would be inclined to word it “[This is] The Brown [home]”, I never see it just “The Brown”.
So what is the best punctuation for a sign? Apostrophe or not?
If your name is Brown, and there is only one of you, then it wouldn’t be “the Brown’s” home- unless you’re REALLY pretentious. It would be “Tim Brown’s Home,” which you would put on the sign, not, “The Brown’s.”
If your name is Brown, and there are more than one of you, then you are “The Browns,” and your home is “The Browns’ Home,” not “The Brown’s Home.”
An apostrophe does not mean “Here comes an ‘S.’”
Besides, “[This is] The Browns’ [Home]” is nothing I could ever see anyone reading into a sign.
“The Brown’s” is completely incorrect, unless only one Brown lives there. This is one of my biggest pet peeves: someone gets a sign PAINTED with “Brown’s”.
So the question is: should it be " The Browns " or " The Browns’ "? The latter is more correct since you’re pointing out that it is the Browns’ house, not the Browns themselves. But it will confuse people so the former may be easier.
OTOH, I could envision a sign that said, literally, “This is the Brown’s place”. In that case (possessive), the apostrophe would be correct. It belongs to a family whose name is Brown. Brown’s dog, Brown’s car, Brown’s house.
Converting that phrase to mostly understood, “[This is] the Brown’s [place]” would also be correct.
As much as I dislike the misused apostrophe, it has its place (not “it’s” place).
I hope that if enough English lovers/teachers/respecters pile on, maybe we can kill the apostrophe in those deplorable signs! Yes, dear Musicat, there is a hard, fast rule, and the rule is: No apostrophe.
But there’s more than one member of the Brown family, and all of them live at their place. Therefiore, it’s “the Browns’ [place]”. "Browns’ " is both plural and posessive.
Saying, “the Brown family’s place” is different because then you’re using “Brown” to describe “family”, which is singular.
Paging Spoons or Muffin! Urgent! Imminent apostrophe catastrophe!
I’m a Mac user and don’t have to put up with such nonsense.
In any case, I have no qualms with possessive pronouns, it the article “the” in front of a single person’s name that I think is weird. Like, “I’m not Cellphone… I’m THE Cellphone”.
Why can’t it be a place belonging to each Brown? Then it would be Brown’s (if used possessively). Mrs. Brown, Mr. Brown and all the little Brownies. Why do they have to be taken collectively and not individually?
