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Old 08-28-2018, 07:06 PM
 
Location: Madison, Alabama
12,963 posts, read 9,478,441 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lovehound View Post
Just to get into the spirit of English (or any language) as evolving, my perception is that English is evolving away from usage of apostrophes as possessive formers, and towards what is the currently accepted grammatical standard. I think that illiteracy plus improved communications via Internet is merely showing how illiterate we always were.

It's just that we type more now than back then.
I don't think forming plurals with apostrophes is the "currently accepted grammatical standard" if that's what you meant. It may be used often, but it's far from acceptable by educated people.
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Old 08-29-2018, 10:52 AM
 
Location: SoCal
14,530 posts, read 20,112,106 times
Reputation: 10539
I meant the common standard is that apostrophes are used for possessives and contractions, and are not used to form plurals.
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Old 08-29-2018, 01:40 PM
 
Location: Madison, Alabama
12,963 posts, read 9,478,441 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lovehound View Post
I meant the common standard is that apostrophes are used for possessives and contractions, and are not used to form plurals.
OK, I agree with that.
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Old 08-29-2018, 07:25 PM
 
Location: SoCal
14,530 posts, read 20,112,106 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketDawg View Post
OK, I agree with that.
LOL.

I see the usage of apostrophes in creating ungrammatical plurals as declining in the future. Despite the many ideas that our educational system is defective and failing, I rather see it in a different way.

With the advent of the Internet and ever more people turning to social media communications (1) the poor grammatical skills of more people become exposed to the public, an (2) such people will be exposed to better educational influences. I think it's a wash about communicating good language skills, because there are just as many good as bad examples.

I would like to think that the Internet brought better communications into play in helping to educate us all. I fear that the many bad examples may perpetuate. I'd hate to think of an era where we just copy the bad grammar we read on the Internet.

I'll place my bets on just one thing. Language and grammar are job skills. Using bad grammar does not go unpunished, and usage of good grammar and writing skills are hiring selectors in that better educated people get better jobs. In a free market economy it benefits you to develop good grammar. You will see it in your paycheck.
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Old 08-30-2018, 06:49 AM
 
Location: Quincy, Mass. (near Boston)
2,941 posts, read 5,183,965 times
Reputation: 2439
Went to a pizza joint across from Boston University recently, and the takeout counter had a tip jar.

It was a simple paper cup on which someone sloppily wrote "tip's."

Unbelievable.

They don't deserve tips until it's spelled properly, but I tipped $1, as always.

Mentioned the error to the young male at the cash register, and he either seemed confused or didn't care.
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Old 08-31-2018, 12:01 PM
 
Location: Elsewhere
88,525 posts, read 84,705,921 times
Reputation: 115005
Quote:
Originally Posted by bostonguy1960 View Post
Went to a pizza joint across from Boston University recently, and the takeout counter had a tip jar.

It was a simple paper cup on which someone sloppily wrote "tip's."

Unbelievable.

They don't deserve tips until it's spelled properly, but I tipped $1, as always.

Mentioned the error to the young male at the cash register, and he either seemed confused or didn't care.
I would have asked for a pen and scribbled out the apostrophe.
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Old 08-31-2018, 12:19 PM
 
Location: SoCal
14,530 posts, read 20,112,106 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801 View Post
I would have asked for a pen and scribbled out the apostrophe.
You revisionists!!!




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Old 09-01-2018, 09:28 PM
 
Location: Mid-Atlantic
32,923 posts, read 36,323,847 times
Reputation: 43753
Quote:
Originally Posted by bostonguy1960 View Post
Went to a pizza joint across from Boston University recently, and the takeout counter had a tip jar.

It was a simple paper cup on which someone sloppily wrote "tip's."

Unbelievable.

They don't deserve tips until it's spelled properly, but I tipped $1, as always.

Mentioned the error to the young male at the cash register, and he either seemed confused or didn't care.
I guess the employee's weren't student's. I hope not.
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Old 09-02-2018, 01:42 PM
 
Location: Old Mother Idaho
29,212 posts, read 22,348,584 times
Reputation: 23853
We have apostrophe problems with words that end in S and Z in American spoken English.

We prefer to say "Those are the Joneses" rather than saying "Those are the Jones"; we like to have the plural voiced so as to remove any confusion about the singular or plural.

So sometimes, I'll write "That is the Jones'es place over there." It may be the wrong usage, but there's no doubt the Jones family lives there. The Jones' place may be correct, but the possessive apostrophe is used so seldom now it doesn't look right to lots of folks anymore, especially those who hear the words spoken in their head wile reading silently.

When writing spoken speech, I'll use the first. When writing non-spoken language, I'll use the second.
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Old 09-03-2018, 03:23 PM
 
Location: Elsewhere
88,525 posts, read 84,705,921 times
Reputation: 115005
I was stopped at a light today and the truck next to me had "The Three Son's Landscaping" on the back cab window and on the sides.

I took a picture with my cell phone, I'm still debating whether or not to publicly shame them.
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