Pedants' Corner

[AMc]

My humble apologies to AMc, who should have been the recipient of the Milk Monitor badge.

I wouldn't normally have mentioned it but as this is Pedants' corner...

 

[Flyfisher]

Yes, and I'm normally such a stickler for apostrophe's.

. . . . a stickler for apostrophe's what? :wink:

 

[LadyArowana]

I just found a big bag of spare ones ( ''''''''''''''''''''''' ) please feel free to help yourselves.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

I ju'st found a big bag of 's'pare one's ( ''''''''''''''''''''''' ) plea's'e feel free to help your'selve's.

Done

 

[Flyfisher]

Perhaps their days are numbered: http://www.killtheapostrophe.com/

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Which is worse? A missing apostrophe or a misused one?

I'd happily kill anyone for either crime, but must admit a sneaking appreciation for some of the worst greengrocers' howlers.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Me too! How boring it would be if language was used perfectly all the time.

But speaking of imperfections, I really don't think the apostrophe indicating the plural form of certain nouns, or acronyms, is quite right, or stylistically pleasing to the eye. For example, consider how "the 1960s" looks on the page compared to "the 1960's" or "COs are a damn nuisance" compared to "CO's are a damn nuisance".

It appears to be something of a grey area, and I'm revising my earlier opinion that "CO's" is plain wrong usage.

This online discussion is quite interesting on the subject: http://www.usingenglish.com/poll/85.html

I agree with the poster Nick, whilst it may not be as ignorant and repellent as other apostrophe misuse, it should be avoided if at all possible.

"I don't like using apostrophes to pluralize acronyms when it can be avoided. They always hit me like a speedbump when I'm reading, because I do generally associate them with possession or contractions. (And acronyms are NOT contractions - I'm with David L on this one!) But there are times when I think it is necessary to use an apostrophe for clarity's sake - for example, when it is a one-letter acronym (e.g., the Oakland A's), an acronym with mixed upper- and lower-case letters (as in Gerry's P11d's, below), or a letter of the alphabet."

 

[AMc]

If in doubt leave it out. I find a missing apostrophe that trips me up less than a superfluous apostrophe when I'm reading something.

Again I think this is funny and genuinely helpful too - http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe
but not as funny as this article http://theoatmeal.com/story/octopus

 

[worms]

"CO's" is plain wrong

A pedantic chemist might, of course, assert that CO is already plural!

 

[LadyArowana]

A pedantic chemist might, of course, assert that CO is already plural!

Does that mean the detector will start making a horrible noise if I apply for LBC for something and the guy comes round for a chat?

 

[Flyfisher]

"CO's" is plain wrong

A pedantic chemist might, of course, assert that CO is already plural!

Surely a 'mono' something can't be plural? :wink:

 

[LadyArowana]

Surely a 'mono' something can't be plural? :wink:

:lol: but it wouldn't kill you if there was only one lump of it.

 

[Flyfisher]

But, if we're considering a multiplicity of molecules (or atoms, or quarks and other exotic entities), then isn't everything plural?

 

[LadyArowana]

But, if we're considering a multiplicity of molecules (or atoms, or quarks and other exotic entities), then isn't everything plural?

Ah yes, the strange and charming world of particle physics, maybe it really is possible to discern the meaning of life in the humble ' after all.

 

[Flyfisher]

Quark, Strangeness and Charm ?

We know a song about that don't we children?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu7Qqmqp3dg

 

[worms]

but it wouldn't kill you if there was only one lump of it...

...unless it was below -205 degrees C, in which case it would depend on the size and velocity of the lump!

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I love it - a thread on pedantic grammar (already pretty tangential to period properties :roll: ) strays on to fundamental particle physics by its third page! This surely must be a record for us?

Back to apostrophes...

I was somewhat confused by the following banner that has appeared on my route to work, which advertises "Lady's no contact boxing training". It is perplexing for a host of reasons, not least of which it is accompanied by a picture of what appears to be a chap (to judge by the beard he wears) tiling a bathroom!

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol:

The frigid, prissy no-contact boxing belonging to one transvestite is the only conclusion!

 

[essexbearhunter]

what appears to be a chap (to judge by the beard he wears) tiling a bathroom

It could be Audrey or Brenda - sadly made unemployed when Bounty was rebranded as Plenty - with their stubble grown into more luxuriant facial hair!

I wondered what they were doing now...

 

[Penners]

"CO's" is plain wrong

A pedantic chemist might, of course, assert that CO is already plural!

Plural? Can a single gas be plural? After all, the atmosphere isn't 21%* oxygens. It's 21% oxygen, no matter what quantity of the gas that may be.





* In view of the title of this thread, my inate sense of self-preservation prompts me to acknowledge that this is a rounded percentage. :roll: