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muriel_volestrangler

(105,790 posts)

15. "Republican's use" should be either "Republican use" or "Republicans' use"

Reply to Maraya1969 (Reply #14)

Sat Dec 20, 2025, 02:59 PM

Dec 20

"Republican" can be a singular noun, but in that case it ought to be preceded by "a" or "the" (and I doubt you're talking about just one Republican). If you mean it as the possessive of a plural noun, it should be "Republicans' use". If you mean it as an adjective, it should be "Republican use".

The use of a noun in English to stand as an adjective is allowed - eg "The Rose Garden". Or, indeed, "the Liberal Democrat party". Republicans are not committing a grammatical error; they are just using a name for another party which that party does not use itself. How malicious that use is each time is debatable. I'm sure some of them do say it to annoy.

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Totally Tunsie

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Highlight:

The explanation of why Republican's use of "Democrat" instead of "Democratic" is bad grammar [View all] Maraya1969 Dec 19 OP

I have always assumed it was because the publicans and sinners were jealous that we had both an adverb and a noun. jls4561 Dec 19 #1

It's a shibboleth! Fozzledick Dec 19 #2

It's supposed to distance the name from the idea Klarkashton Dec 19 #3

Thom Hartmann has this explanation: Liberal In Texas Dec 19 #4

It's also a well known way to create a slur, which is why Republicans do it. W_HAMILTON Dec 19 #5

Congratulations on 10,000 posts. usonian Dec 19 #7

Oh, wow, thank you! I wouldn't have even realized it... W_HAMILTON Dec 19 #8

Number of posts doesn't show on small screens, only larget ones, and I notice! usonian Dec 19 #9

A remnant The Wizard Dec 19 #6

Limbaugh used it as an intentional slight. czarjak Dec 19 #10

I tell anyone who uses it to ... Whiskeytide Dec 20 #11

They only use it because it gets under our skin MichMan Dec 20 #12

People who live in glass houses...... DFW Dec 20 #13

What are you talking about? Maraya1969 Dec 20 #14

"Republican's use" should be either "Republican use" or "Republicans' use" muriel_volestrangler Dec 20 #15

I am using it like "Their use of it" Maraya1969 Dec 20 #16

In that case, the apostrophe should come after the "s" (nt) muriel_volestrangler Dec 20 #17

You got it n/t DFW Dec 20 #18

I believe that referring to the Republican Party as the NAZI Party would be Jack Valentino Dec 20 #19