Rant: Correct use of the magical ' !

Hate · 24 Jul 2006 at 22:54

I dont know if it is just me, but more and more recently i've seen the apostrophe being misused in thread after thread!

for example

* "FAO Swindoner's"
* "Who run's their own business"
* "Turbo's"
* "Views on MR2's"
* "Oz Chrono's"

I don't know if the stress of work is finally getting to me but PLEASE - sort it out!

McDaniel · 24 Jul 2006 at 22:55

Oh Noes!

SpeedFreak · 24 Jul 2006 at 22:56

stress's of work do appear to be getting to you

Kerplunk · 24 Jul 2006 at 22:57

My Girlfriends Girlfriend

Jonny69 · 24 Jul 2006 at 22:57

Straw. Camel's back. Breaking sound.

:eek:

SiriusB · 24 Jul 2006 at 22:59

I am pretty good with my apostrophe most of the time... but tell me, what is wrong with "Views on MR2's"?

MR2's, 1960's, CPU's, NPC's

Some common examples there... which can be found in all sorts of print media. Are you saying they're all wrong?

SiriusB

Hamish · 24 Jul 2006 at 23:03

SiriusB said:
I am pretty good with my apostraphe most of the time... but tell me, what is wrong with "Views on MR2's"?

MR2's, 1960's, CPU's, NPC's

Some common examples there... which can be found in all sorts of print media. Are you saying they're all wrong?

SiriusB

yep, apostrophe is for posession e.g. Dan's, or to mark where letters have been left out e.g. doesn't (does not)

edit also:

1960s
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from 1960's)

Jotun · 24 Jul 2006 at 23:03

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostrophe

The apostrophe ( ’ ) is a punctuation mark, and sometimes a diacritic mark, in languages written in the Latin alphabet. In English, it has two main functions: it marks omissions; and it assists in marking the possessives of all nouns and many pronouns.

Jonny69 · 24 Jul 2006 at 23:04

Oh good god man at least spell apostrophe correctly :rolleyes:

robmiller · 24 Jul 2006 at 23:06

I'm of the opinion that Strunk and White should be mandatory reading for everyone in secondary school.

Rule #1: http://www.bartleby.com/141/strunk.html#1

robmiller · 24 Jul 2006 at 23:10

SiriusB said:
I am pretty good with my apostrophe most of the time... but tell me, what is wrong with "Views on MR2's"?

MR2's, 1960's, CPU's, NPC's

Some common examples there... which can be found in all sorts of print media. Are you saying they're all wrong?

SiriusB

Lots of people are okay with that, but I personally dislike it - it's ambiguous and unnecessary. "MR2s", "1960s", "CPUs" and "NPCs" are all perfectly clear, and make it clear that you're talking about the plural and not something belonging to MR2 - take the following sentence, for example:

MI5's primary role is intelligence gathering.

In this instance, the apostrophe was possessive but in your usage it's not that clear.

fatmas · 24 Jul 2006 at 23:13

Swindoners... Nice mention of our little town

SiriusB · 24 Jul 2006 at 23:15

robmiller said:
Lots of people are okay with that, but I personally dislike it - it's ambiguous and unnecessary. "MR2s", "1960s", "CPUs" and "NPCs" are all perfectly clear, and make it clear that you're talking about the plural and not something belonging to MR2 - take the following sentence, for example:

MI5's primary role is intelligence gathering.

In this instance, the apostrophe was possessive but in your usage it's not that clear.

I have just had a quick read and now I know the apostophe has only two uses in English. I just found it strange that my example is something you see in many many places.

But anyhoo, I now know better and shall endevour to never repeat my mistake again.... probably.

SiriusB

VeNT · 24 Jul 2006 at 23:29

Jonny69 said:
Camel's back.

where from?

Fraggr · 25 Jul 2006 at 00:18

1960's music was around in the 1960s. The music belongs to the sixties, when it was around.

fanger · 25 Jul 2006 at 00:20

VeNT said:
where from?

LOL

Inquisitor · 25 Jul 2006 at 00:23

Fraggr said:
The 1960s' music was around in the 1960s. The music belongs to the sixties, when it was around.

Garrett · 25 Jul 2006 at 00:27

Hate, you'd get on very well with my girlfriend.

A point well made though.

Amleto · 25 Jul 2006 at 00:39

just for the op:

dont flame me - I know it's not funny

Psymonkee · 25 Jul 2006 at 00:43

There all sorted

Rant: Correct use of the magical ' !

Man of Honour

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