How to use an apostrophe

Status
Not open for further replies.
AHarvey said:
I wish the only thing I had to worry about in my life was how other people use an apostrophe.

Your life must be incredibly empty to even care about it.
Click to expand...

Since when does it follow that because you are concerned about relatively insignificant things, you aren't ALSO concerned about more important things as well? :confused:
 
Hatter The Mad said:
Because I feel strongly about the rapidly declining literacy of the majority of the public, as do lots of OcUKers (you'll see people correcting or mocking people in a lot of threads)

(and fyi - "a lot" isn't a word, it is "there's" and I'd really rather hear "arsed" than "assed", unless you are a yank ;))
Click to expand...

hehe i suppose that's fair enough! i do agree with you that it's declining. it wouldn't be such a bad thing as we know some people (like myself) just don't bother on the internet. If im writing a letter or a report at work for instance, i do bother to get it right..

again my point is, some people don't bother because its the net, so don't worry too much about it :)
 
Hatter The Mad said:
Because I feel strongly about the rapidly declining literacy of the majority of the public, as do lots of OcUKers (you'll see people correcting or mocking people in a lot of threads)

(and fyi - "a lot" isn't a word, it is "there's" and I'd really rather hear "arsed" than "assed", unless you are a yank ;))
Click to expand...

This apostrophe lark is bad enough but what really disturbs me is the amount of people who seem to think "I am" is written "Iam"...
 
alangelluk said:
hehe i suppose that's fair enough! i do agree with you that it's declining. it wouldn't be such a bad thing as we know some people (like myself) just don't bother on the internet. If im writing a letter or a report at work for instance, i do bother to get it right..
Click to expand...
But as dirtydog said - you talk about "not being bothered" on the Internet, yet you end up putting the effort in to add ANOTHER character to a word you are typing :confused:
 
dirtydog said:
Since when does it follow that because you are concerned about relatively insignificant things, you aren't ALSO concerned about more important things as well? :confused:
Click to expand...

Because normally, if you have something important to worry about the relatively insignificant things fall to the road side.

For instance, you've lost your job and as a result you are about to lose your house. You aren't going to sit there worrying about the fact that you've run out of coffee.

Although I am sure you are going to come back with some argument to this...
 
AHarvey said:
Because normally, if you have something important to worry about the relatively insignificant things fall to the road side.

For instance, you've lost your job and as a result you are about to lose your house. You aren't going to sit there worrying about the fact that you've run out of coffee.

Although I am sure you are going to come back with some argument to this...
Click to expand...

So assuming the OP doesn't have some serious life altering problem in his life such as losing his job and home, or a terminal illness, is he allowed to be concerned about declining standards in Englsh, is that okay with you? :)
 
To be honest, who actually cares if the written text on this forums isn't 100% accurate.

I don't as long as the text is viable reading and the comments are understandable.
 
Hatter The Mad said:
But as dirtydog said - you talk about "not being bothered" on the Internet, yet you end up putting the effort in to add ANOTHER character to a word you are typing :confused:
Click to expand...

The 'effort' involved doesn't necessarily correlate to just how many characters need to be typed. Some of the less bright probably do have to put considerable thought into which form of the word is the correct one to be using, whereas others can just type in a flow and not need to think about it at all to get it right.

Even so, if you manage to type it's when you meant its, it's still more 'effort' (key presses) to go back and delete it than it is to just leave it there anyway.
 
Ace Modder said:
To be honest, who actually cares if the written text on this forums isn't 100% accurate.

I don't as long as the text is viable reading and the comments are understandable.
Click to expand...
Firstly, why do you think people confine their bad literacy skills to the Internet

Secondly, why is that OK and how can you appreciate the (ill)logic behind doing it

Thirdly, unfortunately bad literacy isn't confined to the Internet, hence the number of awareness campaigns cropping up
 
Andelusion said:
This apostrophe lark is bad enough but what really disturbs me is the amount of people who seem to think "I am" is written "Iam"...
Click to expand...

And they're definitely not referring to the French rap group? ;)

I'm in wholehearted agreement with the last point on the linked page, if in doubt leave it out. I'm aware that I do or have on occasion used an apostrophe incorrectly but if or when I do I'd appreciate someone letting me know, it's a fairly simple thing that should be easily sorted.
 
I would say a more common error is the spelling of ridiculous.

It I see it with an "e" instead of an "i" one more time...

:D
 
Hatter The Mad said:
Firstly, why do you think people confine their bad literacy skills to the Internet

Secondly, why is that OK and how can you appreciate the (ill)logic behind doing it

Thirdly, unfortunately bad literacy isn't confined to the Internet, hence the number of awareness campaigns cropping up
Click to expand...

Look, I gave my opinion, there isn't any need to complain about MY LOGIC.

My opinion, is just an opinion. Therefore logic is not really viable.

What I can't understand is the constant urine-extraction from people who do not follow the "proper english" language.

Whilst I do not like seeing txtspk on the forums, the odd error made when somebody puts a character wrong on a piece of text written on the web isn't the be-all and end-all of the forums is it.
As long as it's not done on purpose and is either a typo or a lack of understanding of a certain rule, let it be.

/Pedantic mode on: PLEASE ALSO NOTE THE QUOTED TEXT IS MISSING FULLSTOPS AT THE END OF THE SENTENCES. lol.
/Pedantic mode off: but it doesn't matter.
 
Ace Modder said:
Look, I gave my opinion, there isn't any need to complain about MY LOGIC.
Click to expand...
I didn't say anything about "[YOUR] LOGIC". I said "the logic in doing so", referring to people who reserve bad literacy for the Internets.


the odd error made when somebody puts a character wrong on a piece of text written on the web isn't the be-all and end-all of the forums is it.
Click to expand...
It isn't an odd error - is it? The majority of the time it is consistent, which is why the author made that website, which is why there are literacy campaigns on the TV, radio and prints, which is why we never hear anything else except for the rapidly declining literacy rates of people.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom