Apostrophes

recylingbin · 31-07-2012 05:35PM

theholyghost wrote: »

I know nobody likes a grammar Nazi and you are not allowed to criticise someone in a thread for grammar etc. but the whole apostrophe thing is driving me mad.

Nobody seems to know how to use them and it is geting worse and worse.

One does NOT put an apostrophe after a singular word and before the S to make it a plural hence it is "boards.ie" NOT "board's.ie".

This particular problem seems to be spreading like wildfire accross the internet. Boards seems to be the worst.

There is even some joker on another forum complaining about the quality of "CV's" being sent to them. Are you really one to judge?

missing comma.

mickrock · 31-07-2012 05:39PM

bluewolf wrote: »

It's always = it is.

No, not always.

Davidius · 31-07-2012 05:49PM

It'll be standard orthography soon enough.

Turtwig · 31-07-2012 05:52PM

bluewolf wrote: »

No, you can't. It is possessive in most cases, but not with "it". It's always = it is.

It has.

e.g It's been raining all day.

theholyghost · 31-07-2012 06:08PM

recylingbin wrote: »

missing comma.

From my original post:

I know nobody likes a grammar Nazi and you are not allowed to criticise someone in a thread for grammar etc. but the whole apostrophe thing is driving me mad.

CrazyRabbit · 31-07-2012 06:19PM

westendgirlie wrote: »

: & ; <
what's the point of colons?

Very useful in some programming languages for assigning multiple values to an array or separating command parameters.

CrazyRabbit · 31-07-2012 06:23PM

Has anyone mentioned the complete absence of the plural possessive use of the apostrophe in common written communication?

E.G:
[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica]Singers' voices.
The cousins' favourite uncle[/FONT].

That bugs me.

Toby Take a Bow · 31-07-2012 06:33PM

theholyghost wrote: »

From my original post:

I know nobody likes a grammar Nazi and you are not allowed to criticise someone in a thread for grammar etc. but the whole apostrophe thing is driving me mad.

I think it's okay if somebody goes on about how annoying a certain grammar mistake/spelling is and then makes himself look completely stupid by making a mistake himself.

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Has anyone mentioned the complete absence of the plural possessive use of the apostrophe in common written communication?

E.G:
[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica]Singers' voices.
The cousins' favourite uncle[/FONT].

That bugs me.

Do you prefer cousins's, singers's?

im invisible · 31-07-2012 06:47PM

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Has anyone mentioned the complete absence of the plural possessive use of the apostrophe in common written communication?

E.G:
Singers' voices.
The cousins' favourite uncle

That bugs me.

my favourite apostrophe, that one

Medusa22 · 31-07-2012 07:33PM

The use of the term 'grammar nazi's' makes me especially angry. I also wish that people knew the difference between:

1. Here or hear

2. Their, there or they're

3. excessive and incorrect use of apostrophes

4. quiet and quite

I certainly don't have perfect grammar but I do look something up if I'm unsure and I can apply the basics.

theholyghost · 31-07-2012 08:03PM

Toby Take a Bow wrote: »

I think it's okay if somebody goes on about how annoying a certain grammar mistake/spelling is and then makes himself look completely stupid by making a mistake himself.

I was just making a general point about a phenomena of modern English usage. I purposely kept it general and avoided singling out an individual in case it would make them feel embarrased or bad about themselves. As I always say, "love the sinner, not the sin" but then again I'm a shocking nice bloke.

31-07-2012 11:15PM

Jernal wrote: »

It has.
e.g It's been raining all day.

Okay, you know what I meant

Diapason · 01-08-2012 08:59AM

theholyghost wrote: »

phenomena

Do DOO be-do-do.

Angeles · 01-08-2012 09:41AM

mathepac wrote: »

It is deeply offensive to describe anyone as a Nazi and the casual offensive name-calling on boards.ie is something I have asked the mods in AH to look at (their request). Terms like "Nazi", "retard", "dick", "alco", "junkie" fly around like suff at a wake.

The level of offense taken by these words is always in the eye of the beholder.
Why exactly is being called a Grammar-Nazi deeply offensive to you?

"Oh darn you mister! You have pointed out my missing apostrophe! Hence forth, I must deeply insult you by calling you a Grammar Nazi which implies that you are fanatically dedicated to controlling or seeking control over the correcting of words.. HaaH Haaaa take that you heathen!!"

Doesn't seem so bad now, does it?

pickarooney · 01-08-2012 09:43AM

mathepac wrote: »

It is deeply offensive to describe anyone as a Nazi and the casual offensive name-calling on boards.ie is something I have asked the mods in AH to look at (their request). Terms like "Nazi", "retard", "dick", "alco", "junkie" fly around like suff at a wake.

As you mentioned the term in the first post in the thread I hereby award you today's Godwin with oak leaves and clusters.
No will deflect me from my crusade to stop the waste of perfectly good apostrophes by misplacing them. Their price has already doubled this year on European Punctuation Markets.

I know how to use them correctly, I am an expert, and will continue to help others in their struggle with this most important and scarce punctuation resource.

boards.ie is certainly among the worst but not just for apostrophes; the standard of written English is abysmal.

Comma-splicing like a machine!

Dravokivich · 01-08-2012 09:51AM

PK2008 wrote: »

I'll be sure to watch my p's and q's around you OP........;)

Grammar is a drinking game now?

pickarooney · 01-08-2012 10:00AM

theholyghost wrote: »

a phenomena

Dear Lord.

Ms.M · 01-08-2012 10:06AM

"I would of"

01-08-2012 10:07AM

Ms.M wrote: »

"I would of"

the your/you're thing is starting to bug me again lately

your stupid
your wrong
your dead

my stupid? my wrong? rarghhh

Wishbone Ash · 01-08-2012 10:22AM

"Todays Special's" - as seen on a Dublin restaurant recently.

That amusement arcade on Westmoreland Street used to have this motto over their door - "It's not the cards your dealt but the way you play them".

:rolleyes:

Ms.M · 01-08-2012 10:24AM

bluewolf wrote: »

the your/you're thing is starting to bug me again lately

your stupid
your wrong
your dead

my stupid? my wrong? rarghhh

Me too! Except it's the grammar error I'm most likely to make!

I don't know why. Makes me so mad when I have to edit them out. :mad:

Pherekydes · 01-08-2012 10:46AM

CruelCoin wrote: »

First world problems.

Can, we, also, please, discuss, the, use, of ; ?

Just replace all of your punctuation marks with exclamation marks!!!!!!!!

Everyone else does it!!!!!!!

Although some people terminate every sentence with a question mark?

01-08-2012 10:49AM

Pherekydes wrote: »

Just replace all of your punctuation marks with exclamation marks!!!!!!!!

Everyone else does it!!!!!!!

Although some people terminate every sentence with a question mark?

i'll terminate them

Pherekydes · 01-08-2012 10:53AM

bluewolf wrote: »

i'll terminate them

You need lesson's!!!!!!!!!!?

Me: Are you going to the Grammar Olympics!!!!!!
You:

[totally like confused]
Me: I'm entered in the punctuation contest?

See!!! Simples??

01-08-2012 10:55AM

Pherekydes wrote: »

You need lesson's!!!!!!!!!!?

Me: Are you going to the Grammar Olympics!!!!!!
You: [totally like confused]
Me: I'm entered in the punctuation contest?

See!!! Simples??

there there, it'll all be ok
the doctors will be here soon

emeraldstar · 01-08-2012 11:16AM

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

"Todays Special's" - as seen on a Dublin restaurant recently.

Teehee

two wheels good · 01-08-2012 11:19AM

Gbear wrote: »

I've a question.

If 's denotes ownership (Jimmy's fridge) then is it true, as I heard recently, that it's can only be used to abbreviate it is or can you, as I believe, use it like this: the cat's tail - it's tail - the tail of it?

That's not the case:

its is like his and her (a possessive pronoun). No apostrophe
For example:
John: His feet were sore. His foot was sore
The dog: Its paws were sore . Its paw was sore

It's is a contraction of it is.
The apostrophe has nothing to do with ownership/possession. It signifies the absent letter i

It is raining again. It's raining again

confusticated · 01-08-2012 11:31AM

Gbear wrote: »

Then how do you denote possession with "it"? "Its"?
There's no logical reasoning behind it that I can see. Whether you use "its" or "it's" to denote possession, context makes it obvious that you're neither referring to the plural of "it" or to "it is".

Either way, the english language is an absolute load of self-contradictory, inconsistent bollocks. It has to be to be useful to so many different cultures.

Give me French or Spanish every day. Once you get beyond the nonsense of applying genders to tables it's really not so bad.

But then instead of a nice little apostrophe you have to use "the X of the Y". In French anyway, I don't speak any Spanish. It makes sentences really long - "my friend's sister's party" becomes "la soirée de la soeur de ma copine" which is a pain to say often.

The "its" thing is explained above and isn't that hard. Context often makes stuff obvious - "I was their last Saturday" clearly means, from context, that they were in a certain place last Saturday. It's still wrong! [Edit: it pains me to read the part in inverted commas, and to know that I posted it.]

I less than three the apostrophe.

--Kaiser-- · 01-08-2012 11:36AM

Pherekydes wrote: »

Although some people terminate every sentence with a question mark?

Australians? You know, to convey the upward inflection?

Iwannahurl · 01-08-2012 11:39AM

theholyghost wrote: »

I know nobody likes a grammar punctuation Nazi and you are not allowed to criticise someone in a thread for grammar punctuation etc., but the whole apostrophe thing is driving me mad.

Nobody seems to know how to use them and it is geting getting worse and worse.

One does NOT put an apostrophe after a singular word and before the S to make it a plural, hence it is "boards.ie" NOT "board's.ie".

This particular problem seems to be spreading like wildfire accross across the internet. Boards seems to be the worst.

There is even some joker on another forum complaining about the quality of "CV's" being sent to them him. Are you Is he really one to judge?

FYP.

Apostrophes

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