Tuesday 3 December 2019

Its Very Sad, There Will Be Tears' At Bedtime, The Editor's Cant Cope.

Yes, we have to announce the unfortunate demise of the Apostrophe Preservation Society - because "ignorance and laziness have won". In 2001, John Richards, a retired journalist, set up this society after seeing the apostrophe misused so often, in so many different places. He wrote to a national newspaper, hoping for perhaps half a dozen letters of support. He heard from more than 500 people all around the world.
Writing on the society's website,John says: "Fewer** organisations and individuals are now caring about the correct use of the apostrophe in the English language. We, and our many supporters worldwide, have done our best but the ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won!" The website is here and will remain open for a little while longer - it has some great examples of bad signage. Update on website - see comment below from Bless
This is bad enough  - but the one underneath is even worse
And I expect better than this from Sainsbury's. After all, they have an apostrophe in their name, so they should know where it goes.

World's End Stores has more errors than you can shake a stick at...
And as for this sign below in Welsh - who knows what this one says!
I have taught so many 'apostrophe' lessons as a Supply Teacher. The omission apostrophes [can't, wouldn't, they're, he's and the baffling won't] and the possession apostrophes.

  1. My method for teaching children about the latter is this - ask yourself, does this belong to somebody?
  2. To whom does it belong?
Example:  we have "the girls umbrella." Look at the words on the page, and with your hand, cover up the person who owns it [the girl] So that means the apostrophe goes after the L.  The girl's umbrella.
What about the boys toilet? That's for the boys. So now you know the apostrophe there goes after the s. The boys' toilets. This method seems to work for most children, and then they can manage more complex ones [the ladies' cloakroom, James' boots] 
I have lost count of the number of schools where letters go home about the Parent's Evening [there's only one parent?]
I walked past this school recently, and was very disappointed to see that they have no apostrophe in their logo. I suppose they would argue that it 'looks better' from a graphic point of view.
But I was even more upset to see the banner outside, which proclaimed that 'good' rating from Ofsted also had a misplaced apostrophe. I didn't stop and take a photo, as there was a child beside it, and I didn't want to get arrested. I suggested to Bob that I should go back after dark with a Sharpie and correct it, but he dissuaded me.
John Richards is 96, and I can understand he is slowing down, and needs to put away his Tippex - but I shall continue to do my best to use good English and to pass on these skills to the younger ones. You have no idea how hard it was to mis-type the title of this post!
If you have something to share, spend a few minutes proof-reading it, please.
Don't spoil the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar!  
** Bob is irritated by articles which confuse fewer and less. 



20 comments:

  1. I have been known to whip out a Sharpie on the odd occasion when I can take no more misplaced apostrophes (or possibly apostrophe’s?)

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    1. I admit that occasionally as a Supply Teacher, I've surreptitiously corrected misplaced apostrophes on the teachers' noticeboards before leaving the school.

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  2. I clicked on the link to the site, but, there is a notification that they have closed the site until after the new year (apparently, the increase in traffic to the site, since the announcement, has been too expensive). We don't have any apostrophes in my first language; the possessive is shown by the way the word ends and there are no omissions of letters within a word, either. :)

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    1. Thank you for letting me know about the website. I am now wondering about apostrophes in other languages - I know they are used in French, but not Greek.

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    2. No apostrophes in Chinese, nor plurals.

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    3. Thank you - I know you are an expert in Chinese culture Philip!

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  3. When I heard about the end of that society I just knew you would write a blog post about it!
    I can't remember ever learning about apostrophes except for when a letter is missing so have struggled to get it right for ever and now I just rely on spellchecker so I'm probably wrong half the time.

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    1. But that means that half the time you are RIGHT, so I shouldn't worry too much.

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  4. This makes me sad also. So many bad signs around which proudly display terrible apostrophic abuse. The one I notice many people get wrong (including a rural blogger you and I have both read who is meticulous in all other grammatical, spelling and vocabulary choices) is the 'Its' error. The cat licked its ear often ends up with the possessive apostrophe.
    I do make errors occasionally in typing fast but to actually put up a shop or school sign with glaring errors is inexcusable!

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    1. It's/its is difficult. My autocorrect just changed that one for me, and if I'd been in a hurry, I'd have probably published it without noticing. And we teach children about the possessive apostrophe, so they often presume that applies to "it" (as in the cat's ear in your comment)

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  5. Loved your post - even though I am aware of misuse of the apostrophe and spot it on many signs I can still misuse them myself. The fewer and less is very annoying.
    Sainsbury's is my pet hate as I write about what I have bought from there so much on my blog but they continue to use the apostrophe on their signs so who am I to leave it out when I am writing about them!

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  6. Not only apostrophes but also - their, they're & there - two, to & too - along with your & you're!!! The misuse drives me mad!

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  7. Agree with every word. I once took M/S to task over a notice that said 'SANDAL'S. They were a bit nonplussed.

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  8. Here's one that often confuses people. I once had a discussion with a children's nurse who insisted she was a childrens' nurse.

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    1. Was she in the Girl's Brigade or the Girls' Brigade? And don't get me started on Mother's/Mothers' Day (a problem happily avoided by those of us who doggedly persist in saying Mothering Sunday)

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  9. You are so right! And it's not just apostrophes. It drives me bonkers when people write "loose" when they mean "lose". I am also beginning to wonder if publishing houses have got rid of their proofreaders. Many, many times, the new books I pick up from our library have so many errors in spelling and punctuation. Sometimes I take a pen and neatly make corrections.

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  10. Loved your post title - what a hoot! Cheers

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  11. I shall never give up my use or love of the apostrophe, in the correct place, of course!

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  12. You won't be the only one. There's a lot of us who agree with you.

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