11's or 11ses ... linguistic ramblings (enquiry)

[badger]

Report writing and editing provides for interesting linguistic findings.  When written out the 2nd breakfast at eleven o'clock is "elevenses".  What would be the short form of this, as it's commonly used and not questioned in reports?  I quite often see "11's", but the word looks like it is supposed to be 11ses.  However, grammatically it would be more like "11s's".  I understand that the "e" is added for pronunciation.  I can just about imagine that the plural "s" comes from the amount of hours in the day when the event takes place, e.g. "tea at 3" equals "threes".  But where does the possessive second "s" come from.  To be the "tea's three" in the sense of the tea belonging to the 3rd hour (pm) does not quite make sense, apart from the "'s" being attached to the wrong word.  However, the whole "-es" ending, whether pronounced or written as in some cases, may only happen, when speaking, as it is easier to state the event at the time.

I would be grateful if anyone with a linguistic mind for trivial ramblings could shed light on this issue for me as a foreigner...  Thanks in anticipation.

badger

[Wowbagger]

Unless, of course you are a member of the SE Group of the Essex DA of the CTC.

[Ian H]

Surely it's just a plural - short form of refreshments at eleven.

[iakobski]

Yes, it's a plural of a plural. So no apostrophe allowed.

[The Mechanic]

Why are you talking about it in a report.  Surely one would call it "mid-morning break" in a written report rather than use  what amounts to a slang name.   

[nuttycyclist]

Wotcha Stefan.

I'd agree with the mechanic, open up the audience and just call it the first refuelling stop.

[Kathy]

...besides, I'd always thought of it as "elevensies", so it would be "11sies".

But agreed, it's a very colloquial term, and "morning tea break" or "mid-morning break" is a better way of writing it.

[delthebike]

...besides, I'd always thought of it as "elevensies", so it would be "11sies".

But agreed, it's a very colloquial term, and "morning tea break" or "mid-morning break" is a better way of writing it.

If I was having more than one elevenses stop then elevensies would be my choice.

How about second breakfast?

[TimO]

How about second breakfast?

You sir are a Hobbit, and I claim my five pounds.

Funnily enough, I just used 11ses in an email, but I'm still unsure which is the ideal form.  It's even worse for the FNRttCs, when it's 3am-ses.

[badger]

I do understand now that this is a colloquial term.  But the folk who are writing the reports for our "Spotlight - Magazine of the CTC Essex DA" either refer to "11ses" or "3ses".  And as such with your other suggestions these would be alternative words.  I just wondered where the one or two plurals came from.  as Kathy suggested: I'll change them to "11sies", although "3sies" looks somehow better than "threesies".  But this may only be a visual perception.

thanks anyway for your thoughts.

[badger]

I just figured - on updating the essays for the next edition that Microsoft Word doesn't like "elevensies" at all, and suggests "elevenses".  Is this an American thing, or just Microsoft.  The Language settings are at British English.

So I think I leave it best at "11ses" and "3ses", whereas I am still not sure where the plural (or both) come from.

[Wowbagger]

The Concise Oxford gives "elevenses", given as "light refreshment at about 11 a.m." Not to be confused with Elevenses, which is the Last Supper's Revenge.

Or Time for a Little Something.

[Tim Hall]

Or Time for a Little Something.

"But don't bother about the bread, please.”