# Monkey With a Gun Needs to be Disarmed **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 30, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473 "2011-01-30T02:04:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/21 "2011-01-30T19:53:39Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > It’s = “it is”. > > Its = “belonging to it” > > just like Hers = “belonging to her” > > Which is what I think you meant, **Chefguy**. No, I concur with **Chefguy**. If “It” is being used as a proper noun, I’d argue “It’s” is the proper possessive. You would say “Cousin It’s costume,” wouldn’t you? (Well, at least if they spelled it that way. Looks like it’s “Itt” not “It.”) I suppose it depends on how you’re analyzing “It” in this case. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/22 "2011-01-30T19:59:56Z")
I would recommend everyone read a GD thread by the subject of this pitting on why there are so few black Olympic swimmers. I don’t think you’ll bother attempting to give him evidence again. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/23 "2011-01-30T20:11:04Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I suppose it depends on how you’re analyzing “It” in this case. Because I suck at the Pit (although support the OP on this topic), let me just get back to this linguistic sidetrack. What I mean by this is if you’re analyzing “It” as a true proper noun. For example, if you have somebody who names their child It, say It Sanders, or if somebody has the family name It, you would, of course, use “It’s.” After all, if you had the surname She or He (both real surnames), you wouldn’t change it to Hers or His. Now, in the OP’s case, it may be more proper to say that “It” is a pseudo proper noun (a term I’m pretty sure does not exist linguistically, but bear with me.) The capitalization is for effect, but it does not change the pronoun nature of the word, much like the capitalization of He or His in reference to God. Just depends on how you parse it. I could go either way on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/24 "2011-01-30T20:12:47Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > It’s = “it is”. > > Its = “belonging to it” > > just like Hers = “belonging to her” > > Which is what I think you meant, **Chefguy**. What **pulykamell** said. “It” in this case is the name of a person, hence the capitalization, so normal grammar rules for “its/it’s” don’t apply. However, this gives birth to a contender for the shortest sentence in English: when asked to whom something belongs, the answer is “It’s It’s”. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/25 "2011-01-30T20:16:48Z")
The Knights of Ni are crumpled on the floor in pain after the turn this thread took. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/26 "2011-01-30T21:33:09Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > What **pulykamell** said. “It” in this case is the name of a person, hence the capitalization, so normal grammar rules for “its/it’s” don’t apply. However, this gives birth to a contender for the shortest sentence in English: when asked to whom something belongs, the answer is “It’s It’s”. Where are the grammar Nazis when you need them? I actually thought about this while writing the OP and didn’t reach any conclusions. But in the spirit of It, “It’s a straw man that will never happen, you punk ass It-ists”. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/27 "2011-01-30T21:35:45Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > What **pulykamell** said. “It” in this case is the name of a person, hence the capitalization, so normal grammar rules for “its/it’s” don’t apply. However, this gives birth to a contender for the shortest sentence in English: when asked to whom something belongs, the answer is “It’s It’s”. Uh oh. Oh no! Oh me. Oh my. No no. So go! Did you hear me? Go! ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/28 "2011-01-30T22:39:21Z")
I apologize for the accusations about lying. It was uncalled for and unwaranted. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/29 "2011-01-30T23:05:15Z")
I accept your apology. We’ll talk about redundancies another time. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/30 "2011-01-30T23:46:58Z")
Apology accepted. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/31 "2011-01-31T00:32:29Z")
Yeah, well, _ **I** _ want to know if It put the lotion on Its skin! :mad: \*Or did It get the hose again? :dubious: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cyningablod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Cyningablod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyningablod)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/32 "2011-01-31T05:53:28Z")
Thanks, **Monkey**. That’s very decent of you. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/33 "2011-01-31T06:02:02Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > It? Hmm. > > Though I’ve always thought “once in a blew moon” makes more sense. I think a moon that’s just gotten head happens way less often than a blue one. Hmm - I was thinking more along the lines of arse licking (as in blowing someone that’s mooning)…and was thinking that if the monkey in question was licking the wrong arses it would explain why it was so ignorant and foul mouthed. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/34 "2011-01-31T07:32:40Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I accept your apology. We’ll talk about redundancies another time. If it was an obvious redundancy, then calling it a redundancy is a redundant. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/35 "2011-01-31T08:24:50Z")
Would It’s it isn’t it, is it It? be correct? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/36 "2011-01-31T14:29:57Z")
I endorse this Pitting. The things that makes me angriest is seeing someone who’s wrong, and who’s been shown the proof of his error, respond by blindly denying it (“I don’t care what your cite says, I’m right,” or brushing it off: “OK, I’m wrong, whatever, who cares.”) If the evidence says you’re wrong, then admit it, and modify your argument or give it up. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/37 "2011-01-31T17:30:58Z")
Ooh, the treasured Bricker endorsement, I’m gonna swoon. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/38 "2011-02-02T09:46:18Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > No, I concur with **Chefguy**. If “It” is being used as a proper noun, I’d argue “It’s” is the proper possessive. You would say “Cousin It’s costume,” wouldn’t you? (Well, at least if they spelled it that way. Looks like it’s “Itt” not “It.”) I suppose it depends on how you’re analyzing “It” in this case. You would be wrong. And, in keeping with the spirit of things: Goddamned fucking shit. Helldamnfuckwhore. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/39 "2011-02-02T13:49:41Z")
I’m totally on board with this pitting. After all that and dozens of people saying so, he just slinked off, the dirty little rat coward. He never came back. I, too, have heard that argument, btw. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473/40 "2011-02-02T16:40:36Z")
> [@GiantRat](#): > > You would be wrong. No, I wouldn’t. It depends on how the question is being asked. If “It” is a real honest-to-goodness name, then, yes, it’s “It’s.” Tell me, how would you indicate possession of the various names in my post? In the particular case in the OP, I’d probably lean more towards “Its”, for the reasons I stated above (I still think it acts as a pronoun, despite the capitalization), but if someone wants to parse it as a proper name (for example, as an actual nickname), “It’s” is correct. Like I said, I can go either way on this particular case. However, in a case where somebody’s forename or surname is “It,” there is no ambiguity, “It’s” is correct. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monkey-with-a-gun-needs-to-be-disarmed/569473.md?page=3)