Job Discussion Forums

[scot47]

At the International Society for the Abolition of the Apostrophe (General Command), we salute this article -

http://www.scottishreview.net/TheCafe25.shtml

[coledavis]

I think apostrophes are necessary for removing ambiguities.

[scot47]

Give examples of necessity for disambiguation.

[johnslat]

Dear scot47,

Quotes within quotes, maybe? And if I write "the boys books," am I writing about one boy or more than one?

Regards,
John

[Hod]

1. Its very important to use apostrophe's correctly.
2. The passive voice is to be avoided.
3. Avoid clich�s like the plague; it�s not rocket science.
4. Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.

[artemisia]

Great list there, Hod!

I�ve been helping someone by taking lecture notes at uni for a third year class (B.Sc). As far as I know, the majority of the students are native English speakers.

Recently the lecturer gave overall feedback on essays marked. I dutifully noted his comments (verbal and on slides) on the standard of them. He dealt with content but he also focussed at some length on paraphrasing, quoting references, plagiarism and writing/grammar related issues:

-The use of �it�. Pronouns stand in for nouns; in a sentence with many nouns, it has to be clear which one �it� stands for
-Definite/ indefinite articles: 'The' vs. 'An' apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples are good for you (not: The apples)
Word choice: incorrect words used; wrong meaning or idiomatically unusual today
Roll on sentences: sentences that are too long and need to be broken up
Apostrophe: plural nouns vs. possessives: Dogs are nice / the dog�s bone

I noticed a couple of students in the next row. One whispered �Do you understand all this?� The other nodded. It was interesting for me to listen to the feedback and to see students� reactions. I don�t see the apostrophe being officially removed from English for a long time to come - even if an awful lot of shops don't know how to use them on signs.

[johntpartee]

[Gajah Oling]

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe

[coledavis]

The cat's cries woke up the other animals, as did the dog's.
Variations: cats', dogs' and dogs without apostrophe.

I understand the point that we could do without words such as wouldn't and aren't, but I think that wouldnt and arent are a bit less readable.

This takes me to my main point. While most ambiguities may be disentangled by an understanding of the context, I think that unnecessary time would be spent on analysis of simple texts. The apostrophe may take a little time to learn, but it saves the reader time, all the time.