Chicago is grappling with local backlash against moving homeless migrants into a new government-run tent encampment as temperatures drop and more migrants continue to arrive.
Honestly, I will say that I would consider “migrant shelter,” “migrants’ shelter,” and “migrants shelter” as all equally correct, with minor differences in shade of meaning.
I would not, and I’m not sure why. Maybe because I differentiate between living and nonliving things for some reason? I would say the lions’ cage, for example. Actually, unless I was contrasting it, I would say “the lion cage”, regardless of the number of lions it houses, but that might just be a fixed expression in English regarding zoos and such. I would not say dry goods’ pantry or pants’ drawer.
I find it fascinating how we internalize the rules of language in a way that sometimes leads us stranded to explain them.
I do have to say that I’m going to start using pants’ drawer, though. The way it stacks plural on top of plural and then shoves the possessive at the end is brilliant.
You don’t have to have legal ownership of a thing to use the possessive. “Migrants’ shelter” is fine, and I would say preferred.
Would you also say “dry goods’ pantry?”
Honestly, I will say that I would consider “migrant shelter,” “migrants’ shelter,” and “migrants shelter” as all equally correct, with minor differences in shade of meaning.
I would not, and I’m not sure why. Maybe because I differentiate between living and nonliving things for some reason? I would say the lions’ cage, for example. Actually, unless I was contrasting it, I would say “the lion cage”, regardless of the number of lions it houses, but that might just be a fixed expression in English regarding zoos and such. I would not say dry goods’ pantry or pants’ drawer.
I find it fascinating how we internalize the rules of language in a way that sometimes leads us stranded to explain them.
I do have to say that I’m going to start using pants’ drawer, though. The way it stacks plural on top of plural and then shoves the possessive at the end is brilliant.