Why do some people say "WalMart's" instead of WalMart? (deal, Sears)

[Macrina]

Why do some people say "WalMart's" instead of WalMart?

For the same reason they say "internets"

[bobmulk]

I'm in Oregon. Never have I heard someone say "WalMart's" unless they meant it in the plural or possessive sense. Must be a regional thing.

[North Beach Person]

This thread is so old it's a mute point now.

[Crew Chief]

Here in the Midwest, the Michigan-based retailer named "Meijer" is frequently pronounced as the possessive (Meijer's or "Meijers") or as "My-jer"

[richard.meyers3]

Mayberry!! lol Most people don't refer to it like that!

[MaxSeven]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

Here in the Midwest, the Michigan-based retailer named "Meijer" is frequently pronounced as the possessive (Meijer's or "Meijers") or as "My-jer"

It's definitely an annoyingly common thing here in Michigan. Walmarts, Kmarts, Fords, Chryslers, Krogers, Big Boys - I think they have started to say Costcos now as well. My theory on the origin of this dates back to previous generations of small family owned businesses that were very common here in the Detroit area. At one time, especially on the east side of Metro Detroit, there were hundreds, if not thousands of small family owned machine shop / tool and die businesses that were supported by the automotive industry. These had proper names like Clawson's Gear and Spline or Johnson's Cold Heading. The vernacular took root from this, where there were so much commerce and communication between these family businesses and the people that worked for them, that eventually the plural possessive spread to all businesses.

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

Here in the Midwest, the Michigan-based retailer named "Meijer" is frequently pronounced as the possessive (Meijer's or "Meijers") or as "My-jer"

The original name of the store was Meijer's Thrifty Acres, so there is a reasonable explanation for the use of the possessive in this case.

Oh, and when I lived in MI I frequently heard K-Mark, so odd! How do you turn a 't' into a 'k'?

[Twinkle Toes]

Hey - the tag at the bottom of the page says to feel free to update the thread, or something to that effect, so here goes ..............

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

This thread is so old it's a mute point now.

I believe you meant MOOT point. (Unless, of course, we're talking "mimes")

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Twinkle Toes

Hey - the tag at the bottom of the page says to feel free to update the thread, or something to that effect, so here goes ..............




I believe you meant MOOT point. (Unless, of course, we're talking "mimes")

I did, but I wanted to use a very common mispronunciation.

[Twinkle Toes]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

I did, but I wanted to use a very common mispronunciation.

Well ....... ya did good!