How would you form the plural of a proper noun like Degas?

This is just a guess on what feels comfortable: The Degas are planning to attend the function.

But you need one. Either after the s, or apostrophe plus another s. This according to grammarbook.com, punctuation, apostrophes. Sorry I can’t post the link. If there’s a way to do it on a smart phone, I’m not bright enough to figure it out.

Holy crap, how did that happen?

@Jak No, you would never use an apostrophe to make a plural. Not talking about a possessive or the fact that it is sometimes done erroneously.

I would write “Degases.”

Degas means “to remove gas from”.

“Degassers” or “the Degassed” would be correct.

not serious

I’d sure try to get away with saying “the Degas family.”

^ Agreed. I’ve done enough translation work to know that sometimes the only way through is around.

@Jeruba I’d be inclined to do that too but this was a reference to the gallery in the Salon where his pictures would have hung. I guess I might have written, “The gallery where the pictures by Degas would have hung.”

The novel used “Degases” and while it may be correct, as @Hawaii_Jake suggests, it just looks awkward to me.

@janbb Yes, it looks awkward, but it is similar to “Bushes” or “Adamses”.

‘The gallery where the Degas are hung’ seems fine to me. (I would pronounce the s if saying it)
I do love Degas’ paintings

@Stinley Too bad we weren’t writing the novel!

I agree with @Stinley. Spoken, it works perfectly, because you could simply pronounce the otherwise-silent “S”.

I’d go with @dappled_leaves, suggestion, go around. Perhaps saying “the works of Degas”, unless, of course, you’re referring to the actual Degas family.

You could also say, “The gallery where the Degas paintings are hung.” That makes the paintings plural rather than suggesting that there are multiple artists named Degas.

If referring to the family, you could use The Mr. and Mrs. Degas, or The Degas family.

“How many at the dinner party?”

“There’ll be four Monets, two Manets, 6 Cezannes, and a dozen of the Degas clan.”

^^ Ha ha ha : )