QI and apostrophes

[rabbitearbandicoot]

did anyone watch the QI episode where they discussed Apostrophes and their use??

I missed it but a friend tells me I have been using apostrophes wrongly.

as in "Bill's Car" - the car that belongs to Bill should be "Bills' car".

[polksaladallie]

But if the car belonged to the second in line to the British throne, it would be Wills' car.  

[cq_tech]

What gives you that idea? It doesn't matter if he's the heir to the throne or the local greengrocer, if his name is Will (which it is) and he owns the car, it has to be called Will's car. QED.

[j*oono]

He is actually known as Wills, CQ.  Not Will.

[polksaladallie]

---

@cq_tech wrote:
What gives you that idea? It doesn't matter if he's the heir to the throne or the local greengrocer, if his name is Will (which it is) and he owns the car, it has to be called Will's car. QED.

---

No.  His nickname is Wills, not Will.   QED.

[cq_tech]

Is that right? How on earth did I not know that? LOL.

In that case, you are quite right, polks. My apologies. 🙂

[j*oono]

I have another question.  What does QED actually mean in English?  I don't get it.

[polksaladallie]

[polksaladallie]

quod erat demonstrandum  meaning "which had to be demonstrated"  The abbreviation thus signals the completion of the proof.

I C'd and P'd this. 

[j*oono]

Everytime I see it I have to run to google.  So it just means 'as demonstrated'.

[the_great_she_elephant]

If we want to be pedantic, it should strictly speaking  be "Wills's car." Unless of course  we are referencing the royal "WE"