Rant: Correct use of the magical ' !

[Hate]

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]

Oh Noes!

 

[SpeedFreak]

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

 

[Kerplunk]

My Girlfriends Girlfriend

 

[Jonny69]

Straw. Camel's back. Breaking sound.

 

[SiriusB]

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]

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]

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]

Oh good god man at least spell apostrophe correctly

 

[robmiller]

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]

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]

Swindoners... Nice mention of our little town

 

[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.

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]

Camel's back.

where from?

 

[Fraggr]

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

 

[fanger]

where from?

LOL

 

[Inquisitor]

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

 

[Garrett]

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

A point well made though.

 

[Amleto]

just for the op:

dont flame me - I know it's not funny

 

[Psymonkee]

There all sorted