Yes or No

[LilliesCarol]

I am editing my family history novel and am perplexed as to how I should write the following:

Joseph could tell there was something wrong with the Launs. OR Joseph could tell there was something wrong with the Laun's. The family name is Laun singular, but in the sentence there seems to be no possession so what is the rule?

[pls]

[mammamaia]

it's not a matter of a possessive, only a plural... and the plural of 'Laun' would be 'Launs'... just as the plural of 'smith' would be 'smiths'... if the name is 'jones' however, it would be 'joneses'...

[MookyMcD]

My ex wife bought a sign to hang outside our front door that said "The McDonagh's." I asked her which one of us was "The McDonagh" and why it was only her house. I'm the only male in the household, and I assumed she was not paying for a sign to commemorate my sole ownership.

On a side note, tbh I'd change "there was something wrong with" to "something was wrong with." I have a thing about unnecessary "to be" formulations (though it could be a personal fetish more than anything).

[LilliesCarol]

Thanks everyone for your help and explanation. Mookey it's probably just a matter of semantics. I guess you like less verbiage.

[DrG2]

[mammamaia]

hey, mook, i have to ask... did you go through 'ay' to 'double-u' wives, before acquiring the 'ex' one?

[MookyMcD]

Dear God no. But I sure can't call her an "A-wife" either. ROFL

[Jowen]

Multi-marriages have always confused me. Maybe you can explain it, Mooky. If a guy marries three times, is his second wife called a mid-wife? And why is the mid-wife always delivering other peoples' babies instead of having her own?

[LilliesCarol]

James, your last reason to prologue is interesting. I have a question. At present, I am using an Introduction in my family history novel. As it is based on true happenings in the life of my grandmother (1900 to 1945) I felt it necessary to give a reason for writing and that SOME names and places have been changed to protect the innocent. Without posting that Introduction/Prologue,is there a difference between that and a Prologue Also it is important to note that names and places have been changed. Is there some other place to put such information? What are the differences?
L