24 September, 2007
Stop the Apostrophe!
I am not an English major. I do not know all the rules of grammar. I have no idea what a dangling participle is (though it sounds like something you could be arrested for if you were in public). All that said, I do know how to use an apostrophe. I thought pretty much everyone above grade school level did. Judging by the large number of signs abusing the apostrophe, however, I must assume I was laboring under a misconception. The most common use of the apostrophe is to denote possession, such as "Bill's car". It is also commonly used of course in a conjunction ( is not becomes isn't). Sadly, a growing number of the population seems to be falling in love with the use of the apostrophe, even some who clearly should know better. If you spent years in law school, you should know that you and your partner are not "Attorney's at Law". I'm pretty sure you are not possessors of the law. Or how about the car repair shop near my home with the sign "Mark's Toy's"? I have seen so many examples of the misuse of the apostrophe that it is driving me crazy. It is just indicative of the poor state of education in most of this country. Or maybe people just don't care if they look ignorant.
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4 comments:
Well dear cousin, you have to consider the source. You are living in the Buckle of the Bible belt, where the greatest accomplishment at a family reunion, is that together they may have a complete set of teeth.You are not surrounded by people who are often accused of being too cerebral.(outside of a small demographic)Most of those of which you are surrounded by, consider it a break for their testicles when they scratch their heads.During my 2 years or so living there, I must have met (on more than a casual level)several hundred people, probably more. I was only able to carry on an intellectual conversation with about a couple dozen or so. Seemed like anyone with any sense lived on Signal Mt. You have the luxury of having fairly bright people within your own clan, with which to converse.
Yeah, it really has nothing to do with where I live man. Just check out this site and you'll see what I mean... http://quotation-marks.blogspot.com It's hilarious and sad at the same time.
Sorry, I am a little behind on replying to your response; of course it isn't entirely your geographic location, which is the cause of the illiteracy in this country, just look within the school systems.Grammar and spelling, just aren't stressed as they once were.This has been one of my pet peeves for the entire time my eldest son has been in school. This will only work against our youth when they (hopefullY take their education to the next level.I have to agree that website was attrocious, which only further supports the point we are both making.In a point to make about said conditions, a case in point is your latest blog, the sentence "There have been many times I have been sitting in a classroom or meeting or social gathering...", would be more grammatically correct written this way:"... sitting in a classroom,meeting or social gathering..." I only point this out, since English was one of my favorite(and Major) classes and wish to prevent my dear cousin from the appearance of hypocrisy, by misusing the discussed offensive punctuations.
OK missed the rear parenthesis after the word hopefully, in comment about continueing education. My bad, talking to a kid a writing at the same tim.
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