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My Pet Goat

WandererWanderer
edited January 2007 in Vanilla 1.0 Help
This is really off topic but something that gets my goat when I see it in writing, especially by otherwise very intelligent people.

I am President of the R.S.P.C.A, that's the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to the Apostrophe!

Well may you laugh but I'm being serious! pic

There are commonly two valid uses for the humble apostrophe, all others are abuse and displays of ignorance.
  1. When indicating a contraction:
    do not = don't
    have not = haven't
    should have = should've
  2. When indicating ownership:
    Mark's software
    Joe's opinion
    Sally's car
    Users' preferences (if the word ends in s already, apostrophe goes after it)
That's it, simple enough?

You do not use an apostrophe when indicating a plural, you simply add an S and be done with it...

professional's = professionals
DVD's = DVDs
Extension's = Extensions
topic's = topics
cascading style sheet's = cascading style sheets

Thank you for your attention. pic
(Now maybe my goat will be safe for a while)
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Comments

  • KrakKrak New
    Till I get my hickory stick. (anybody catch that?)
  • AchithynAchithyn
    What about the shortening of words? u r vry kewl m8! This is annoying to me. >< Well, then again, this is your topic - I should create my own! :)

    ~Achi
  • MySchizoBuddyMySchizoBuddy
    Thanks a lot Wanderer. I needed this lesson what about names that end with an ***s, I just use ***s's car I have seen apostrophes used in the end like **** ' nothing else after the apostrophe
  • chuyskywalkerchuyskywalker
    Oh, not going to cover "its <> it's" ? How can you skip it!
  • AchithynAchithyn
    I believe that if you wish to add an apostrophe for a name that ends in 'S' you can do: Chris' rather than Chris's, however, I also believe both are right. There was another rule that was about adding the apostrophe after the word when it was in possession of a group rather than an individual... though I forgot it - care to fill me in, Wanderer?

    ~Achi
  • MinisweeperMinisweeper New
    Lol chuyskywalker I was gonna say there were 3 'rules' :D
  • TexTex
    @MySchizoBuddy: According to my knowledge, only the xxs' car is correct.
  • StashStash ✭
    2006/12/11 08:12
    (just ignore the fact I spelt "incorrect" incorrectly *sigh* that's what the preview and edit functions are for in Vanilla :D )
  • garymardellgarymardell ✭
    yeah for example it would be Jesus' donkey. Lol what i found funny bout typing that is that they hadn't added Jesus to the Firefox dictionary.
  • MarkMark Vanilla Staff
    edited December 2006
    // too late
  • NickENickE New
    Although in dutch (and probably other languages) you do sometimes use apostrophes to indicate plural. Eg. ik heb te veel loempia's gegeten (apologies if my grammer/spelling is off, my dutch isn't that great)
  • WandererWanderer
     Quote: Tex  According to my knowledge, only the xxs' car is correct.
    Yes indeed Tex, if you are wanting to talk about the car belonging to Mr Jones you write Mr Jones' car.

    However, if you are talking about his keeping up with entire family (plural of Jones) it is acceptible write "Keeping up with the Joneses"
  • TexTex
    Thanks Wanderer :)
  • WandererWanderer
     Quote: chuyskywalker  Oh, not going to cover "its <> it's" ? How can you skip it!
    Technically, I already covered it.

    it is = it's (contraction)
    its = neither contraction nor plural (possession)

    For example: It's bloody hot today in Melbourne. (it is)

    For example: The car has its left quarter panel dented. (possession)
  • WandererWanderer
     Quote: SirNot  Although in dutch (and probably other languages) you do sometimes use apostrophes to indicate plural. Eg. ik heb te veel loempia's gegeten (apologies if my grammer/spelling is off, my dutch isn't that great)
    Don't know too much about Dutch spelling and grammar SirNot...

    My OS X translator says you ate too many loempias, is it a chicken or pork egg roll?

    Vrolijke Kerstmis.
  • AchithynAchithyn
    Where did you get a translator for OS X? It's not built in is it?

    ~Achi
  • WandererWanderer
    Yes it is, it's a Dashboard Widget called... Translation pic
  • chuyskywalkerchuyskywalker
     Quote: Wanderer  #2) When indicating ownership:
    Mark's software
     Quote: Wanderer  For example: The car has its left quarter panel dented. (possession)
    So which /it'?s/ is it for possession? Eh? ;)
  • MinisweeperMinisweeper New
    its is the posessive form of it. Thats why it's the exception to the rule.
  • TomTesterTomTester New
    SirNot, it's not always the case in Dutch. See: http://vrttaal.net/taaldatabanken_master/spellen_schrijven/tips/st-10050.shtml (Dutch only)

    Anyway, Dutch ain't easy... (more exceptions than rules in that silly language) but they're making it easier all the time.

    Just to annoy Wanderer a rewrite of the last line:

    Anyways, dutch ai'nt eazy... (mor acceptions then ruulz in that silli langauge) butt their macking it easyer al da tyme.
This discussion has been closed.