"Apostrophe- a punctuation mark ( ' ) used to indicate the omission of letters or figures, the possessive case and often wrongly used in the plural of letters or figures"
Perhaps we should go out in the car park and settle this like men? (man's?)
Lars is right - an apostrophe indicates the plural of letters - there are 2 I's in cancelled.
I just checked with the Lynne Truss book on punctuation- Eats,Shoots and Leaves- to make sure.
They don't actually do anything, despite what Miss Pringle said in Junior 2. They are useful for indicating dropped letters though.
You'd never get confused by Paul's pipes chanter's holes being written Pauls pipes chanters holes. If you REALLY wanted to indicate the number of Pauls or the number of pipes, you'd write it another way.
I'm dyslexic KO and due to the short notice was on a computer without Word to spell check, so I used Google instead and that’s the spelling it came up with (US I suppose).
"plurals do not need apostrophes unless it is a possessive plural."
This is modern, but it's come to be accepted. The correct pluralization of "l" would "es." The apsotrophe replaces the "e" because in this case the spelling would be confusing.
Since people no longer know how to spell the apostrophe has begun to look like a possessive to them and they've started dropping it.
"I'm off to get my money back on the dictionary. . ."
Dictionar's are not authorit's. They are reporters of usage and often disagree with each other. People are the authorities. Dictionaries also have limited applicabiltiy. A dictionary for the spoken word will often be a bit different than one for literary use. The fame O.E.D., for instance, deals only with literary usage and can, in many ways, be viewed as a biography of the written word. It reports what it has found.
In some other languages, notably French and Icelandic, things are viewed a bit differently, but English is as English is spoke and writ and what is "wrong" today will be "correct" tomorrow.
Manchester session CANCELED
Manchester session CANCELED
The Landlord has just informed me that he has got 3 rockbands playing upstairs on friday so I'm afraid the session is off.
Sorry about the short notice but needs must when the devil vomits in your kettle.
I'll try again in the New year.
PP
# Posted on December 1st 2005 by Pied Piper
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
There are two ls in cancelled
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by Pól
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
There is one "d" in "dick."
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by cuchulain54
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
There's no sodding apostrophe Lars - it is a plural!
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
dont get me s'tarted
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by kris
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
O'K
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
ball's Lar's
"Apostrophe- a punctuation mark ( ' ) used to indicate the omission of letters or figures, the possessive case and often wrongly used in the plural of letters or figures"
Perhaps we should go out in the car park and settle this like men? (man's?)
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
Lars is right - an apostrophe indicates the plural of letters - there are 2 I's in cancelled.
I just checked with the Lynne Truss book on punctuation- Eats,Shoots and Leaves- to make sure.
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by JimR
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
I know that Jim! I'm winding him up - don't spoil it.
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
So it all pointless really, as Pied Piper is a self-winding model.
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
ABOLI'SH PO'S'SE'S'SIVE APO'STROPHE'S!!!
They don't actually do anything, despite what Miss Pringle said in Junior 2. They are useful for indicating dropped letters though.
You'd never get confused by Paul's pipes chanter's holes being written Pauls pipes chanters holes. If you REALLY wanted to indicate the number of Pauls or the number of pipes, you'd write it another way.
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by LastToFinish
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
seloh s'retnahc sepip s'luaP
- mebbe?
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
I'm dyslexic KO and due to the short notice was on a computer without Word to spell check, so I used Google instead and that’s the spelling it came up with (US I suppose).
Self-winding?
Moi
PP
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by Pied Piper
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
http://www.apostrophe.fsnet.co.uk/
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by joesmith
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
"http:www.apostrophe.fsnet.co.uk/"
oh jeez,what will they come up with next??
some crazy people out there....
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by person
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
you betcha
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by showaddydadito
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
Larsheen,
There isn't.
You suffer from a bad case of greengrocers' apostrophe
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by Pól
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
Or greengrocer's if there is only one.
I agree; plurals do not need apostrophes unless it is a possessive plural.
I drive my students mad with this.
Pedantically yours....
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by Geoff Pollitt
Re: Manchester session CANCELED
"plurals do not need apostrophes unless it is a possessive plural."
This is modern, but it's come to be accepted. The correct pluralization of "l" would "es." The apsotrophe replaces the "e" because in this case the spelling would be confusing.
Since people no longer know how to spell the apostrophe has begun to look like a possessive to them and they've started dropping it.
"I'm off to get my money back on the dictionary. . ."
Dictionar's are not authorit's. They are reporters of usage and often disagree with each other. People are the authorities. Dictionaries also have limited applicabiltiy. A dictionary for the spoken word will often be a bit different than one for literary use. The fame O.E.D., for instance, deals only with literary usage and can, in many ways, be viewed as a biography of the written word. It reports what it has found.
In some other languages, notably French and Icelandic, things are viewed a bit differently, but English is as English is spoke and writ and what is "wrong" today will be "correct" tomorrow.
KFG
# Posted on December 2nd 2005 by KFG
Re: Manchester session CANCELLED
Is "rockband" one word or two? Come to that, is "fruitcakes" one word or two?
# Posted on December 3rd 2005 by lazyhound