topic Re: oh dear - they're giving up in Community Chat

oh dear - they're giving up

ms traditional — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:04:22 GMT

The Apostrophe Protection Society of the UK is closing down in disgust. its members are throwing in the towel saying that the cause is lost.

The Apostrophe Protection Society was a UK society with "the specific aim of preserving the correct use of this currently much abused punctuation mark". It was founded in 2001 by John Richards, a retired sub-editor, in response to his observations of widespread incorrect use of thpostrophe.

does this mean i should stop correcting grammar mistakes of so-called journalists on major networks (mutter mutter mutter.....)???!!

naw. i haven't given up - yet.!!! thanks to the excellent teaching of one Miss Dabareiner way back when.

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

Drythe — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:07:30 GMT

@ms traditional

In case they vanish altogether, I’m sending you a few to hang on to.

’’’’’

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

ms traditional — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:11:56 GMT

@Drythe that's very generous of you. you couldn't be nicer on this sad day. hope all's well

there! i used a few - pls. send me more!

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

haddon9 — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:18:15 GMT

I never knew that such a society existed! LOL!

I sell personalized signs on Etsy. Often someone will order a sign from me asking for an apostrophe to be placed near the end of a last name to pluralize it. I try to very nicely explain that the apostrophe at the end of a name should be used as either a singular or a plural possessive which determines where the apostrophe is placed (usually before or after the "s"). It's not for plualizing a name. This falls on deaf ears.

So many times they will just tell me that they think it "looks right" with the apostrophe. Here's an example..... "The Smith's wish you a Merry Christmas!"...ugh!

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

ValuSkr — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:18:27 GMT

Now it will be an apostrophe free-for-all.

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

ms traditional — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:20:50 GMT

@haddon9 wrote:
I never knew that such a society existed! LOL!

I sell personalized signs on Etsy. Often someone will order a sign from me asking for an apostrophe to be placed near the end of a last name to pluralize it. I try to very nicely explain that the apostrophe at the end of a name should be used as either a singular or a plural possessive which determines where the apostrophe is placed (usually before or after the "s"). It's not for plualizing a name. This falls on deaf ears.

So many times they will just tell me that they think it "looks right" with the apostrophe. Here's an example..... "The Smith's wish you a Merry Christmas!"...ugh!

@haddon9 ah, you get it! don't give up! you're doing people a favor.

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

ms traditional — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:21:46 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
Now it will be an apostrophe free-for-all.

let's fight back @ValuSkr !

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

haddon9 — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:23:27 GMT

@ms traditional All I can say is that I try. However if they insist on incorrect grammar, I don't sign my name to the back & I also keep all messages just in case there are some disagreements down the road.

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

ms traditional — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:26:48 GMT

@haddon9 wrote:
@ms traditional All I can say is that I try. However if they insist on incorrect grammar, I don't sign my name to the back & I also keep all messages just in case there are some disagreements down the road.

@haddon9 it's a battle, isn't it? and i don't blame you for not wanting your business reputation to be attached to such mistakes... and very smart of you to keep correspondence as proof in these crazy days.

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

ValuSkr — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:27:35 GMT

@haddon9 LOL That would bother me too. But the customer is always right, of course.

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

sidsmom — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 02:53:57 GMT

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

Sooner — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 03:25:08 GMT

Are we there yet? The Dark Ages I mean. Seems sort of like it to me.

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

Oznell — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 03:32:41 GMT

Hold the line, admirable @ms traditional! Keep that banner held high, even though others falter, ha. Am counting on you, and Miss Dabareiner would be proud, and vindicated....

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

jonbon — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 03:41:15 GMT

@haddon9 wrote:
I never knew that such a society existed! LOL!

I sell personalized signs on Etsy. Often someone will order a sign from me asking for an apostrophe to be placed near the end of a last name to pluralize it. I try to very nicely explain that the apostrophe at the end of a name should be used as either a singular or a plural possessive which determines where the apostrophe is placed (usually before or after the "s"). It's not for plualizing a name. This falls on deaf ears.

So many times they will just tell me that they think it "looks right" with the apostrophe. Here's an example..... "The Smith's wish you a Merry Christmas!"...ugh!

Yes! My sister-in-law (who is a smart lady) used to do this on their Christmas cards. Also, there is a group of neighbors not far from me who have "matching" Christmas decorations. Each home has a sign out front which says, "The Smith's" or "The Olson's" etc. Drives me crazy! I told my husband that one night, under cover of darkness, I'm going to go around with some white paint and paint over all of the apostrophes!

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

Lindsays Grandma — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 03:43:50 GMT

@sidsmom wrote:

@sidsmom ...Perfect

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

sidsmom — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 03:46:39 GMT

@Lindsays Grandma

....and I'm getting the first one!

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

Foxxee — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 03:49:25 GMT

Who(')s abusing apostrophes?

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

Shawnie — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 05:14:45 GMT

@jonbon wrote:
@haddon9 wrote:
I never knew that such a society existed! LOL!

I sell personalized signs on Etsy. Often someone will order a sign from me asking for an apostrophe to be placed near the end of a last name to pluralize it. I try to very nicely explain that the apostrophe at the end of a name should be used as either a singular or a plural possessive which determines where the apostrophe is placed (usually before or after the "s"). It's not for plualizing a name. This falls on deaf ears.

So many times they will just tell me that they think it "looks right" with the apostrophe. Here's an example..... "The Smith's wish you a Merry Christmas!"...ugh!
Yes! My sister-in-law (who is a smart lady) used to do this on their Christmas cards. Also, there is a group of neighbors not far from me who have "matching" Christmas decorations. Each home has a sign out front which says, "The Smith's" or "The Olson's" etc. Drives me crazy! I told my husband that one night, under cover of darkness, I'm going to go around with some white paint and paint over all of the apostrophes!

Hmmm. If the signs imply a possessive then aren't the signs correct, aka The Smith's (House)?

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

Foxxee — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 05:41:05 GMT

@Shawnie wrote:
@jonbon wrote:
@haddon9 wrote:
I never knew that such a society existed! LOL!

I sell personalized signs on Etsy. Often someone will order a sign from me asking for an apostrophe to be placed near the end of a last name to pluralize it. I try to very nicely explain that the apostrophe at the end of a name should be used as either a singular or a plural possessive which determines where the apostrophe is placed (usually before or after the "s"). It's not for plualizing a name. This falls on deaf ears.

So many times they will just tell me that they think it "looks right" with the apostrophe. Here's an example..... "The Smith's wish you a Merry Christmas!"...ugh!
Yes! My sister-in-law (who is a smart lady) used to do this on their Christmas cards. Also, there is a group of neighbors not far from me who have "matching" Christmas decorations. Each home has a sign out front which says, "The Smith's" or "The Olson's" etc. Drives me crazy! I told my husband that one night, under cover of darkness, I'm going to go around with some white paint and paint over all of the apostrophes!
Hmmm. If the signs imply a possessive then aren't the signs correct, aka The Smith's (House)?

@Shawnie

That's an interesting point. I can see how some could see it that way.

Re: oh dear - they're giving up

Hippiified — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 06:19:57 GMT

@Foxxee wrote:
@Shawnie wrote:
@jonbon wrote:
@haddon9 wrote:
I never knew that such a society existed! LOL!

I sell personalized signs on Etsy. Often someone will order a sign from me asking for an apostrophe to be placed near the end of a last name to pluralize it. I try to very nicely explain that the apostrophe at the end of a name should be used as either a singular or a plural possessive which determines where the apostrophe is placed (usually before or after the "s"). It's not for plualizing a name. This falls on deaf ears.

So many times they will just tell me that they think it "looks right" with the apostrophe. Here's an example..... "The Smith's wish you a Merry Christmas!"...ugh!
Yes! My sister-in-law (who is a smart lady) used to do this on their Christmas cards. Also, there is a group of neighbors not far from me who have "matching" Christmas decorations. Each home has a sign out front which says, "The Smith's" or "The Olson's" etc. Drives me crazy! I told my husband that one night, under cover of darkness, I'm going to go around with some white paint and paint over all of the apostrophes!
Hmmm. If the signs imply a possessive then aren't the signs correct, aka The Smith's (House)?
@Shawnie

That's an interesting point. I can see how some could see it that way.

The apostrophe should be after the s, not before!