The Irish and 'Its' and 'It's'

MrAbyss · 25-01-2020 08:06PM #1

I am not even close to being a grammar Nazi, but there is a huge issue in this country with the apostrophe.

I worked with professionals - who had top degrees - who didn't know their 'it's' from their 'its'. As bad as that is, I have seen advertising graphic posters for products on bus stops and the DART with 'its the one you want.' and 'comes with it's own monitor'. These were big ad accounts and no one in the agency caught it.

My favourite was a plaque of " WB Yeats' " on the beach in Strandhill in Sligo under the WWW sign cast in Bronze.

JohnnyFlash · 25-01-2020 08:11PM

It’s not as bad as the ‘seen and done merchants’. Smacks of a poor education.

SmartinMartin · 25-01-2020 08:14PM

Their they're there, you should feel better now. Don't loose it.

25-01-2020 08:15PM

I don’t let it bother me all that much. You know what they mean.

biko · 25-01-2020 08:15PM

Ban short form, it is clear the Irish are not able for it.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 25-01-2020 08:17PM

It seems to be a common trait in the UK and the US as well. Familiarity with a language seems to lead to complacency.

MrAbyss · 25-01-2020 08:18PM

I was once chastised by a teacher for correctly using 'ignorant' - a Leaving Cert English teacher as she informed me, "it means a rude person."

MrAbyss · 25-01-2020 08:19PM

Luca Nervous Bride wrote: »

It seems to be a common trait in the UK and the US as well. Familiarity with a language seems to lead to complacency.

No it isn't. Not to the degree you see here. Educated Americans I found had excellent English writing skills. Apart from their phobia for the letter 'u'.

One eyed Jack · 25-01-2020 08:24PM

MrAbyss wrote: »

As bad as that is, I have seen advertising graphic posters for products on bus stops and the DART with 'its the one you want.' and 'comes with it's own monitor'. These were big ad accounts and no one in the agency caught it.

I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with the examples given above?

Cordell · 25-01-2020 08:26PM

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with the examples given above?

Your joking.

KiKi III · 25-01-2020 08:30PM

I explained to a friend of mine the other day that “should of” is not a real phrase. I had to go into detail on how it’s a mishearing of “should’ve”.

He has a degree from trinity.

MrAbyss · 25-01-2020 08:33PM

KiKi III wrote: »

I explained to a friend of mine the other day that “should of” is not a real phrase. I had to go into detail on how it’s a mishearing of “should’ve”.

He has a degree from trinity.

I used to work for a pensions company and most of the clients were semi-literate at best. Again. All degrees.

The education system in Ireland is shocking. When I was growing up you had RTE and politicians claiming it was greatest in the world FFS lol.

Alun · 25-01-2020 08:34PM

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with the examples given above?

Seriously?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 25-01-2020 08:37PM

MrAbyss wrote: »

No it isn't. Not to the degree you see here. Educated Americans I found had excellent English writing skills. Apart from their phobia for the letter 'u'.

Many Americans misuse its and it's; I've seen it in many drafts of papers and even in some published work by educated American, as you put it. Likewise many educated Irish correctly use it. Neither has a monopoly on either side of the equation.

Indeed poor grammar is as rife among the not so educated Americans as here, if not more so.

EmmetSpiceland · 25-01-2020 08:41PM

MrAbyss wrote: »

I used to work for a pensions company and most of the clients were semi-literate at best. Again. All degrees.

Probably “Arts” degrees.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 25-01-2020 08:43PM

Formal teaching of grammar has slipped dramatically plus there is a tenancy to simply accept the errors nowadays, rather than pull somebody up on it. Even try it here and you'll be carded for being a grammar Nazi - you can't win!

Moomoomacshoe · 25-01-2020 08:45PM

KiKi III wrote: »

I explained to a friend of mine the other day that “should of” is not a real phrase. I had to go into detail on how it’s a mishearing of “should’ve”.

He has a degree from trinity.

That's the most annoying one "should of". Also whirlwind now being said as worldwind!

EchoIndia · 25-01-2020 08:45PM

Cordell wrote: »

Your joking.

You are, too, it appears.

One eyed Jack · 25-01-2020 08:49PM

Alun wrote: »

Seriously?

Unfortunately, yes. I’ve searched on google for the correct use of its and it’s in various different contexts, and it didn’t give me any better indication of appropriate use of either, or why the OP’s examples were incorrect.

4068ac1elhodqr · 25-01-2020 08:53PM

Wonder if this is the OP?:

Apostrophe Protection Society disband's because 'ignorance and laziness has wonz'
Mr Richard's' claim's the biggest problem is not people misusing the apostrophe, but failing to use it at all'
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/apostrophe-protection-society-john-richards-grammar-lazy-a9229106.html

25-01-2020 08:54PM

Its a mystery

I wanted to post a reverse it's as well but couldn't think of any

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 25-01-2020 08:54PM

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Unfortunately, yes. I’ve searched on google for the correct use of its and it’s in various different contexts, and it didn’t give me any better indication of appropriate use of either, or why the OP’s examples were incorrect.

It’s is a contraction of it is or it has.
Its is the possessive form of it.

The confusion is because, with most other words, ‘s indicates possession.

25-01-2020 08:55PM

Luca Nervous Bride wrote: »

It’s is a contraction of it is or it has.
Its is the possessive form of it.

The confusion is because, with most other words, ‘s indicates possession.

Saw a thread title on reddit with something like "babies first taste of icecream"
There was only one baby though

Bobblehats · 25-01-2020 08:57PM

I like to think I subconsciously know the correct circumstances under which to deploy it, and sometimes may even make the effort but I end up making a tit of it regardless

somefeen · 25-01-2020 08:58PM

Luca Nervous Bride wrote: »

Formal teaching of grammar has slipped dramatically plus there is a tenancy to simply accept the errors nowadays, rather than pull somebody up on it. Even try it here and you'll be carded for being a grammar Nazi - you can't win!

Then we can't accept your error here. :P

Tendency

25-01-2020 08:59PM

The Apostrophe Protection Society has recently closed down. They gave up.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 25-01-2020 09:02PM

somefeen wrote: »

Then we can't accept your error here. :P

Tendency

True, though a spelling error is somewhat different to grammar.

happyday · 25-01-2020 09:02PM

There's another thread in Ranting and Raving called "It's ADVICE" that you might like.

spacetweek · 25-01-2020 09:03PM

MrAbyss wrote: »

The education system in Ireland is shocking. When I was growing up you had RTE and politicians claiming it was greatest in the world FFS lol.

It is one of the greatest in the world, according to the latest PISA results. Our 15yo students came 4th out of 36 countries in literacy. Not sure how that translates to writing, but you'd think the two would be linked.

The reason people don't care whether they write "it's" correctly isn't because they aren't well educated, it's because they don't care. People just don't think it's a big deal, the meaning is nearly always clear. All the education in the world wouldn't change that.

BTW, I've also had to explain to a mate that "should of" isn't a real thing you can say.

Gretas Gonna Get Ya! · 25-01-2020 09:03PM

Is it wrong if I make the assumption that some of these things are a sign of someone being lazy?

Like, when a poster starts every single sentence with a lowercase letter? Some people are bad at spelling fair enough... but almost everyone knows that you start a sentence with a capital letter!

It's just laziness... what else could it be?

Of course they'll just say "why does it matter?"... and they're probably correct, it doesn't. I can still read what they're saying.

But I'm betting they are probably lazy in other areas of life too. Might be an unfair assumption, but that's where my mind automatically goes when I see it. :P

Spanish Eyes · 25-01-2020 09:04PM

We need a pedants thread or we will loose the plot and buy tomatoe's.

The Irish and 'Its' and 'It's'

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