Job Discussion Forums

[younggeorge]

Come on, VS! You know bebsi has to fizz a little!

[veiledsentiments]

[Bebsi]

Bebsi doesn't make topos of that nature. You should know by now that Bebsi's tongue is sticking out the Bebsi ear!!!!

Christ, I know my way around the typography of this site

Have been known to make a few typos in my time though

To err is human, to forgive is just...difficult!!

[scot47]

WHY CANT I USE APOSTROPHE'S FOR PLURAL'S ?

[Bebsi]

[veiledsentiments]

One thing that confuses me... attempting a serious note here...

This has always been one of my pet peeves. This mistake is everywhere now... newspapers, novels, and signs. Certainly it is a reflection of the lousy American education system that doesn't want to correct errors as it may harm the little darlin's self-esteem.

YET... I constantly make the mistake when I am typing - or keyboarding as it is called these days. (so what do they call a typo now? but I digress...)

What is it about my brain - and apparently many others of us who know the rules - that makes us put an incorrect apostrophe in there so often. (the its/it's being the worse for me)

Any psycholinguistic sorts out there who know the answer to that?

VS

[scot47]

Not only American ! In Britain this error with the apostrophe is called 'The Greengrocer's Apostrophe' - as in ' Apple's 55 pence a kilo'.

Personally I would abolish the damn thing ! Who will join me in setting up

THE INERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE ABOLITION OF THE APOSTROPHE

???????????????????????????????????????

[Bebsi]

"ISFAOTA"

I can see it now, annual conferences in Marriot's and Hyatt's all over the world:

International Society for the Abolition of Apostrophe's

Symposium on the effectivenes's of Apostrophe's, June 26'th, 2006, Hilton's Hotel, Avenue of the America's, New York's City, NY.

This years theme: "The necessity's of the use of apostrophe's in ones use of the English's language."

Guest speaker's - Dr. Beb Zee, Prof. Scott Fortyseven and Dr. Vail D'Sentments.

Fame at last!!

[veiledsentiments]

Id say forget the speaker's and just head for the bar, but I know at least two of us are teetotaler's... how about you Dr Beb?

(but no one has answered my oh so serious question. I know why the Greengrocer makes the mistake. Why do I and so many other English teachers? is it the dreaded brain f a r t?)

VS

[scot47]

I see the society more as a pressure group and not a learned society !

I mean a sort of GRAMMATICAL GREENPEACE !

[Bebsi]

Would they use alliteration? Advance the advantages of assonance?

I'd say there would be pressure, alright. Not the kind Scot imagines, tho!!

VS, you could be on the right track there; indeed, more than you think, because a 'paper' delivered by Dr. Beb Zee would actually be DELIVERED in the bar (so maybe not the best place for seeking refuge). As the said Beb is not by any means a teetotaler, a small libation of perhaps a good Cabernet from Murfatlar or maybe a Feteasca Negra would be in evidence for the purpose of vocal lubrication....as if needed!

Now, wheresh dat shtuff I written on de ushe of aphos...fost...fostfeees... ??

[brianS]

[quote="scot47"]Not only American ! In Britain this error with the apostrophe is called 'The Greengrocer's Apostrophe' - as in ' Apple's 55 pence a kilo'.

I believe that there is also Golden Deliciou's !!!

[Bebsi]

Instead of "potatoes", if you were a greengrocer could you say, "Potato's?" What about "Potatoe's?"

Would that mean the singular was "Potatoe"?

[guangho]

[Bebsi]

I too was thinking of Dan Quayle.

Who remembers Dan?

Any Quayleisms out there? Let's have them!

Should that be Quaylisms? Quaylism's?