godparents of Steven or godparents of Steven's?

Myra and I would like you and Elaine to be the godparents of Steven( [color=red]Or Steven’s?)

Thanks

Neither. Possession by people uses the Anglo-Saxon genitive: ‘Myra and I would like you to be Steven’s godparents.’

The expression I heard is “Myra and I would like you and Elaine to be the godparents of Steven.”

It is from Seinfeld. I know a lot of expressions used in the show are informal. Since it is used by native speakers, I guess it is not actually wrong.

With “a friend of mine” and such expressions, the choice among the three structures is becoming a real headache. :stuck_out_tongue:

It doesn’t sound natural.

I would use ‘to be Steven’s godparents’ too.

Yes, perhaps within the script we could see why it was phrased that way.

Jerry(to George): Will you shut up.

Elaine: I’m taking a cab home. I can’t take it anymore.

Jerry: So what were you about to say, Stan?

Stan: Myra and I would like you and Elaine to be the Godparents of Steven.

Elaine: Wow.

Jerry: Me? A godfather?

Just this, nothing much, so I guess it’s just a careless informal way to express the idea?

(1) As I understand it, either of the following is correct:

(a) I am a friend of Tom’s.

(b) I am a friend of Tom.

(2) Some people feel that there is a little difference of meaning between the two; “everyone” agrees that “Tom’s” is the most idiomatic and popular; and some people feel that “Tom” is – grammatically speaking – also “correct.”

Both are OK. The problem arises with this:

Here is a photograph of Tom.
Here is a photograph of Tom’s.