How would I say. . . ?

DWSTXS · Dec 5, 2008

I'm writing a scene where my MC is talking on the phone and narratively I'm saying that he is listening to his boss's boss.

Should this be . . . he was listening to his boss's boss. . .

or

He was listening to his bosses boss. . .

I know this, but today, my brain is mush, and I really shouldn't be attempting to write at all, but I just can't stop. I need to get this scene in the can. To me, it's boss's boss, or at least that's what looks most correct, but I am overthinking everything right now, LOL.

qwerty · Dec 6, 2008

His boss's boss. Just as you instinctively put it in your question.

RobJ · Dec 6, 2008

DWSTXS said:
I'm writing a scene where my MC is talking on the phone and narratively I'm saying that he is listening to his boss's boss.

Should this be . . . he was listening to his boss's boss. . .

or

He was listening to his bosses boss. . .

I know this, but today, my brain is mush, and I really shouldn't be attempting to write at all, but I just can't stop. I need to get this scene in the can. To me, it's boss's boss, or at least that's what looks most correct, but I am overthinking everything right now, LOL.

It will have an apostrophe for sure, but otherwise depends on how many bosses are intended in the original form (boss's).

Cheers,
Rob

DWSTXS · Dec 6, 2008

Thanks!

Red-Green · Dec 16, 2008

I would say "his supervisor's boss," but I'm a notorious weasel. (Not to be confused with a notorious ferret.)

Ruv Draba · Jan 26, 2009

In some standards of English it's acceptable (even preferable) to write: boss' boss. It's short for "boss's boss", but some stylists decided that the extra 's' looked cumbersome.

How would I say. . . ?

DWSTXS

Mr Mojo Risin...

qwerty

exiled Brit

RobJ

DWSTXS

Mr Mojo Risin...

Red-Green

KoalaKoalaKoala!

Ruv Draba