Apostrophe's

[Australis]

I was taught it was the horse enclosure, even if there's a plurality of horses in it. Unless itr was an enclosure for a particular horse, theit it was that horse's enclosure.

Another one that irks the hell out of me is using 'an' before a word that starts with 'h'. Words that start with a vowel have 'an', words with a consonant have 'a'.

But apparently it was debated in the House of Lords once over the correct usage, and with their lazy vocabulary, where they drop the 'h' all over the place, the consensus was "an hotel". Piss off! It's "a hotel". To use 'an' only encourages further dropping of the 'h'. Bah.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Let's see what the expert has to say:

''' ''''' ' ''' '''' ''' ''' ''''''''

Personally, I couldn't agree more.

Nobody even got this, did they?

 

[RJDiogenes]

Another one that irks the helkl out of me is using 'an' before a word that starts with 'h'. Words that start with a vowel have 'an', words with a consonant have 'a'.

But apparently it was debated in the House of Lords once over the correct usage, and with their lazy vocabulary, where they drop the 'h' all over the place, the consensus was "an hotel". Piss off! It's "a hotel". To use 'an' only encourages further dropping of the 'h'. Bah.

I'm right there with you on this one.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Let's see what the expert has to say:

''' ''''' ' ''' '''' ''' ''' ''''''''

Personally, I couldn't agree more.

Nobody even got this, did they?

I got it, but I had to snoop around the Net a little at first...

 

[RJDiogenes]

Heh.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

What really bothers me is when people put another "s" after making a word that ends in "s" possessive. It happens all the time when people (and computers/websites) write my name in the possessive. If I see "James's" somewhere again I might snap.

OMG, i fucking hate that! Bad grammar makes baby Jesus cry.

 

[Michael Chris]

Another one that irks the helkl out of me is using 'an' before a word that starts with 'h'. Words that start with a vowel have 'an', words with a consonant have 'a'.

An before a vowel sound; a before a consonant sound.

Who in their right mind says "a hour"?

 

[K'Ehleyr]

I've been taught my entire life that when a word ends with an S, you don't add a second S after the apostrophe.

Either way is correct, actually. I've read that there's a slight preference for s's in British English and a slight preference for s' in American English, but I can't say I've seen this for myself and anyway it's a preference not a hard-and-fast rule. Anyway, either way can be justified by grammar and common practice. Just so long as you put the damn apostrophe in the right place, you can either add the extra "s" or not, depending on your preference.

K'ehleyr, if you cease using apostrophes in possessives, you will break my heart. Really. Almost as much as that "apostrophe's" in the title line.

Yes, the aberrant apostrophe was a lure .
And the "either way is correct" is what frustrates me about correct punctuation ~ there is none!

Ok, Just Kate, I shall use apostrophes in possessives, but I reserve the right to say "it is to my preference" if challenged.

Let's see what the expert has to say:


Personally, I couldn't agree more.

Nobody even got this, did they?

I got it, but I had to snoop around the Net a little at first...

We don't get enough p'nuts over here so the reference passed me by ~ sorry

Another one that irks the helkl out of me is using 'an' before a word that starts with 'h'. Words that start with a vowel have 'an', words with a consonant have 'a'.

An before a vowel sound; a before a consonant sound.

Who in their right mind says "a hour"?

A hotel ~ yes,
An hour and an honour ~ yes,
An ouija board
Again the rules are bent


The correct use of punctuation and grammer will end up by being determined by what colour socks you are wearing, if you had cornflakes for breakfast or if you are just stubborn and confident enough to make people believe you are correct in your convictions

As an example, from Private Eye ~ a respected satirical news magazine in the UK;

'Pedants' Corner
A sub-section of the letters page devoted to pedantic corrections of or additions to previous articles or readers' letters. This has included several letters on the use of the apostrophe in "Pedants'", which has variously appeared as "Pedants", "Pedant's" or "Ped'ants Corner". It's now (2008) been renamed "Pedantry Corner" after the suggestion of a reader.'

Let us all agree to disagree

K.

 

[Tim]

Are you Lynne Truss in disguise?

Eats, Shoots & Leaves is an absolutely hilarious book. I love it.

Yep! Everyone should read it. If they can't then use apostrophes correctly, they should be shot.

 

[JonathonWally]

I'm much too well adjusted to care about other people's poor grammar.

 

[Australis]

Hour.
Honour.
Ouija.

If there's one thing I've learnt over the years, it's that English has very distinct rules, but it is also a language that allows exceptions. 'Their' being a classic example as an exception to 'I before E except after C'.

And keep in mind that the 2nd and 3rd words are imported words, from French and a combination of French and German ("oui" "ja").

 

[Gepard]

Let's see what the expert has to say:

''' ''''' ' ''' '''' ''' ''' ''''''''

Personally, I couldn't agree more.

Nobody even got this, did they?

I did. Just, you know, what is there to say in reply? (Can one convey mute-trumpet sound effects in text?)

 

[K'Ehleyr]

Hour.
Honour.
Ouija.

If there's one thing I've learnt over the years, it's that English has very distinct rules, but it is also a language that allows exceptions. 'Their' being a classic example as an exception to 'I before E except after C'.

And keep in mind that the 2nd and 3rd words are imported words, from French and a combination of French and German ("oui" "ja").

True, we wouldn't be English if it weren't for our eccentricities

 

[RJDiogenes]

We don't get enough p'nuts over here so the reference passed me by ~ sorry

Okay, that's a good excuse; you're forgiven.

I did. Just, you know, what is there to say in reply? (Can one convey mute-trumpet sound effects in text?)

There's gotta be an Emoticon for that out there somewhere.

 

[Capn Flukie]

Let's see what the expert has to say:

''' ''''' ' ''' '''' ''' ''' ''''''''

Personally, I couldn't agree more.

Nobody even got this, did they?

I got it. '61ers unite!

Also, Apostrophe is a great Frank Zappa album.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ Thank you. I'm glad some people got it.

Now I just have to worry about my binary joke in digits' Thread.

 

[TGTheodore]

And no Zee, I'm Lynnes evil twin ~ see I started a sentance with 'and'

I should file an Anti-Truss suit on that matter...

I think you're taking a lot of things for granite.

I've been taught my entire life that when a word ends with an S, you don't add a second S after the apostrophe.

Same here. Frankly, adding an improper final "s" just reads stupidity.

--Ted

 

[JustKate]

I've been taught my entire life that when a word ends with an S, you don't add a second S after the apostrophe.

Same here. Frankly, adding an improper final "s" just reads stupidity.

--Ted

I'm sorry, but no matter how annoying you find it, it's not wrong or incorrect. You want me to quote books at you? I'll do it, but only if you make me...

I prefer s' too, but that doesn't make s's wrong. Because it's not. Sorry, guys.

 

[Neferit]

Yeah, wrongly used apostrophe is something what at least greatly confuses me. And the small things like "there"/"their"/"they're" or "hear"/"here"... Sometimes I feel almost like some kind of grammar nazi I'm not saying that my writing is always 100% correct - but at least some things can be improved quite easily...

 

[TGTheodore]

You NEVER use it for plural possession.

The boys' bicycles.

Show me a book that says you do.

--Ted (now leaving "crotchety old man" mode)