Use of the apostrophe

[Smudger105e]

I might be a bit of a grammar nazi on this but it really grates with me when spurious apostrophes are used, particularly on signs that are professionally manufactured. For example, there is a taxi firm local to me that has the sign on every car that says **** ***** Taxi's. Why put an apostrophe there? It is not indicating that something belongs to the taxi. There is no letter missing.

As a rule of thumb (and of course there are exceptions to the rule) apostrophes are used as follows

My Auntie's washing line has broken.
My Aunties' washing line has broken.
Aren't my Auntie's windows dirty?

The first is possessive singular, which means the washing line of my Aunty has broken.

The second one means that the washing line belonging to more than one Aunty has broken.

The third one has two apostrophes, the one in aren't is because the word is actually "are not" but letters have been omitted, the second one is describing the ownership of the windows as being one aunty.

I know that there is a movement towards actually doing away with the apostrophe all together in written word, but omitting one from a word is, in my little world, understandable, but putting them in where there's no need (see what I did there?) just winds me up.

DON'T DO IT PEOPLE!!

And don't get me started on their, there they're, to, too, two, where, were, we're...

P.S. "its" (possessive) does not have an apostrophe, I got caned at school for getting that wrong!

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe

 

[telstarbox]

Your absolutely right mate.

 

[causton]

Agreed. Their are too many people around who ca'nt spell!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

My Auntie's washing line has broken.
My Aunties' washing line has broken.
Aren't my Auntie's windows dirty?

Eh? Really?

If the noun takes the possessive plural, then so would the verb:
My Aunties' washing lines have broken . . . .

You would say that 'the rocks are hard'. (not 'the rocks is hard') and you wouldn't change the participles when the case changes. When there are several rocks, you would still say that:
- 'your rocks are hard', or 'your rocks have been hard', 'those rocks are hard' or 'her rocks are be hard';
but never :
-'your rocks is hard', or 'your rocks has been hard, 'those rocks is hard' nor 'her rocks is hard'.

If you meant what you wrote, I'd be curious to know where you live.

 

[Oswyntail]

Eh? Really?

If the noun takes the possessive plural, then so would the verb:
My Aunties' washing lines have broken . . . .

....

Writing as someone who had several Aunts living in the same house, together possessing only one washing line, I understood the original perfectly.

 

[edwin_m]

I might be a bit of a grammar nazi on this but it really grates with me when spurious apostrophes are used, particularly on signs that are professionally manufactured. For example, there is a taxi firm local to me that has the sign on every car that says **** ***** Taxi's. Why put an apostrophe there? It is not indicating that something belongs to the taxi. There is no letter missing.

Devil's advocate here, but Taxi was originally short for "Taximeter" so there are actually several letters missing. I think this is the reason some people put apostrophes in plurals of abbreviations such as "MP's".

However I do agree this use is confusing and I wouldn't do it myself.

 

[Emyr]

Your absolutely right mate.

You're doing it wrong.

 

[chorleyjeff]

Your absolutely right mate.

I agree with your sentiment if not your grammar.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

P.S. "its" (possessive) does not have an apostrophe, I got caned at school for getting that wrong!

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe

Was it good to be caned for making the error?

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Your absolutely right mate.

That may have been too subtle for some here - a smiley would have clarified (though I preferred it without).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Devil's advocate here, but Taxi was originally short for "Taximeter" so there are actually several letters missing. I think this is the reason some people put apostrophes in plurals of abbreviations such as "MP's".

I suppose logically it should be M'sP not MP's

 

[Welshman]

Then there are the signs outside shops advising they sell "potato's" or "mango's"......

The flyleaf of the excellent book by Lynne Truss, Eats, Shoots & Leaves, recalls a sign seen at a garden centre selling bedding-plants:-

"Pansy's ready"

And the inevitable response: "Is she?"

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Writing as someone who had several Aunts living in the same house, together possessing only one washing line, I understood the original perfectly.

Surely one of them could have washed the windows.

 

[muddythefish]

Your absolutely right mate.

Well done old chap. That went right over their head's.

 

[maniacmartin]

'Fresh Fruits & Vegetables' is on a sign near me.

 

[Oswyntail]

'Fresh Fruits & Vegetables' is on a sign near me.

I think that is correct (If, as I guess, you are worried about the plural of "fruit"). Several apples are "fruits", several different varieties are also "fruits", while "fruit" is not only the singular but also generic, so could also apply to several apples or varieties.

 

[pdq]

I remember Jims Taxi's when I was growing up...

I can understand handwritten and home produced signs having errors - notwithstanding spellcheck - but there's surely no excuse for professionally made signs to be wrong: isn't learning how to spell and punctuate as important as layout and design when learning the trade?

 

[table38]

Maybe it's all deliberate... ironic "traditional" greengrocer's apostrophies (apostrophy's?) , but also maybe you see the sign, your point it out and it generates a debate, but then you think "actually I feel a bit peckish, maybe I could eat a few Apple's"

 

[IanD]

I remember Jims Taxi's when I was growing up...

I can understand handwritten and home produced signs having errors - notwithstanding spellcheck - but there's surely no excuse for professionally made signs to be wrong: isn't learning how to spell and punctuate as important as layout and design when learning the trade?

Some comedian (Paul Merton spring's to mind) believe's thi's i's a deliberate ploy by signwriter's. They create the sign's you ask for even if they are obviously wrong so that you will then have to pay again to have them corrected.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Some comedian (Paul Merton springs to mind) believes this is a deliberate ploy by signwriters. They create the signs you ask for even if they are obviously wrong so that you will then have to pay again to have them corrected.

 

[Emyr]

You can also charge for the extra punctuation.

 

[table38]

But never go on a date with an apostrophe, they are very possessive

 

[meridian2]

Your right. I mean, if you spend too much time dissecting my message here because your getting confused over my usage of you're/your, then you shouldn't leave you're house as clearly your getting confused.

 

[Harpers Tate]

Use's of apostrophe's

Fixed that for you

 

[Smudger105e]

Eh? Really?

If the noun takes the possessive plural, then so would the verb:
My Aunties' washing lines have broken . . . .

Writing as someone who had several Aunts living in the same house, together possessing only one washing line, I understood the original perfectly.

If you meant what you wrote, I'd be curious to know where you live.

I live in Nottinghamshire but I was educated at Hove County Grammar School for Boys


I have also come to the conclusion that some of the users of this forum are p'ss takers!!

 

[Railsigns]

apostrophies (apostrophy's?)

Neither. It's "apostrophes". :roll:

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Writing as someone who had several Aunts living in the same house, together possessing only one washing line, I understood the original perfectly.

Ah yes, of course.
The tradition of aunts sharing a washing line had escaped me, without even a single apostrophy between them. Thank you.

So I guess I should stop saying : 'the beehive is full of honey' and 'I'm delayed due to the road's traffic' or ' due to road traffic', but rather 'the bees' hive is full of honey' and 'I'm delayed due to the roads' traffic'.

I live in Nottinghamshire but I was educated at Hove County Grammar School for Boys

My old school too has evolved into something else today. I wonder if they are as concerned today about the use of the apostrophy as they once were.

I have also come to the conclusion that some of the users of this forum are p'ss takers!!

Oh dear!
I do hope you're mistaken!

 

[headshot119]

I remember Jims Taxi's when I was growing up...

I can understand handwritten and home produced signs having errors - notwithstanding spellcheck - but there's surely no excuse for professionally made signs to be wrong: isn't learning how to spell and punctuate as important as layout and design when learning the trade?

A large company I used to work for don't seem to recruited people in the sign making department who can spell or punctuate. Some examples:

We sold stationary.
The country Isreal appeared on a map we sold.
Assorted was once abbreviated to arse.
Oh and we sold "pen's".

 

[IanD]

Oh and we sold "pen's".

Well, that could have been an apostrophe indicating missing letters.

 

[bb21]

We sold stationary.
The country Isreal appeared on a map we sold.

Perhaps they were making a declaration.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I got told off at work recently for the incorrect use of a semi-colon & colon. ; :

 

[edwin_m]

The one that really baffles me is a possessive of a (singular) name ending in "s". I was told in no uncertain terms by my English teacher that "Thomas' funnel*" is wrong, but all the Awdry books do that. To me it just looks wrong as well as being open to misinterpretation and "Thomas's" is much better.

*leaving aside the fact it's a chimney. And my English teacher was actually Scottish.

 

[Strat-tastic]

The one that really baffles me is a possessive of a (singular) name ending in "s". I was told in no uncertain terms by my English teacher that "Thomas' funnel*" is wrong, but all the Awdry books do that. To me it just looks wrong as well as being open to misinterpretation and "Thomas's" is much better.

*leaving aside the fact it's a chimney. And my English teacher was actually Scottish.

I believe both are correct; you just need to be consistent in which one you use in a piece.

My pen's stationary stationery!