This drives me nuts because the two words have completely separate meanings and uses. How can you confuse the two? Yet I actually think I see those words used incorrectly more often than not.
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Rogue apostrophes
- Thread starter JBGoode
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That's the main reason it bothers me. But what really gets me is that most people who misspell either don't care to fix it or just don't care at all. Yet they will take the time to add that extra 'o' in writing a word that means something entirely different from the actual word they are trying to use. I would think that a lazy person would just use 'lose' to mean both words and be done with it. It would mean typing one character less. But it's the other way around it seems.
Or maybe it's just poor auto correct. In any case, it bothers me.
Honestly, since one of my most despised persons on a forum are 'grammar nazis', it makes things like "rogue apostrophes" an indulgence.
Honestly, since one of my most despised persons on a forum are 'grammar nazis', it makes things like "rogue apostrophes" an indulgence.
Score: F.
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From Reamde, by Neil Stephenson.
“Hundred million…” Devin repeated, not loudly enough for Premjith to hear him. “I’ll bet within five years of T’Rain going live, we’ll have more K’Shetriae than there are Kshatriya.” “Now, that is—if memory serves—spelt with an apostrophe between an uppercase K and an uppercase S, is it not?” Don Donald asked.
“That’s right,” said Devin, and glanced at Geraldine, who nodded. “Now the apostrophe is used to mark an elision.” “A missing letter,” Pluto translated. “Like the o in ‘couldn’t.’ ” He snorted. “The second o, that is!” “Yes, just so,” the Don continued. “Which leads me to ask why the S in ‘K’Shetriae’ is capitalized. Should one infer from this that ‘Shetriae’ is a separate word that is a proper noun? And if so, what are we to make of the K-apostrophe? Is it, for example, some sort of article?” “Sure, why not,” said Devin. D-squared, having set the hook, was content with a few moments’ discreet silence, but Pluto erupted: “Why not? Why not?” Richard could only watch, like staring across a valley at an avalanche overtaking a skier.
“If it is an article,” said Don Donald, “then what is the T-apostrophe in T’Rain? What is the D-apostrophe in D’uinn? How many articles does this language have?” Silence. “Or perhaps the K, the T, and the D are not articles but some other features of the language.” Silence. “Or perhaps the apostrophe is being used to indicate something other than elision.” Silence. “In which case, what does it indicate?” Richard couldn’t bear it anymore. “It just looks cool,” he said. Don Donald turned toward him with a bright, fascinated look. Behind him, Richard could see everyone else collapsing; things had gotten a bit tense. “I beg your pardon, Richard?”
“Donald, look. You’re the only guy in this particular sector of the economy who has the whole ancient-languages thing down pat to the extent that you do. Everyone else just totally makes this stuff up. When some guy wants a word that seems exotic, he’ll throw in a couple of apostrophes. Maybe smash a couple of letters together that don’t normally go, like Q and Z. That’s what we’re dealing with here.” Silence in a different flavor. “I am aware that it doesn’t exactly jibe with your M.O.,” Richard added. “M.O.?” “Modus operandi.” “Mmm,” said the Don. “If you want to make up some languages,” offered Devin, “knock yourself out.”
“Hundred million…” Devin repeated, not loudly enough for Premjith to hear him. “I’ll bet within five years of T’Rain going live, we’ll have more K’Shetriae than there are Kshatriya.” “Now, that is—if memory serves—spelt with an apostrophe between an uppercase K and an uppercase S, is it not?” Don Donald asked.
“That’s right,” said Devin, and glanced at Geraldine, who nodded. “Now the apostrophe is used to mark an elision.” “A missing letter,” Pluto translated. “Like the o in ‘couldn’t.’ ” He snorted. “The second o, that is!” “Yes, just so,” the Don continued. “Which leads me to ask why the S in ‘K’Shetriae’ is capitalized. Should one infer from this that ‘Shetriae’ is a separate word that is a proper noun? And if so, what are we to make of the K-apostrophe? Is it, for example, some sort of article?” “Sure, why not,” said Devin. D-squared, having set the hook, was content with a few moments’ discreet silence, but Pluto erupted: “Why not? Why not?” Richard could only watch, like staring across a valley at an avalanche overtaking a skier.
“If it is an article,” said Don Donald, “then what is the T-apostrophe in T’Rain? What is the D-apostrophe in D’uinn? How many articles does this language have?” Silence. “Or perhaps the K, the T, and the D are not articles but some other features of the language.” Silence. “Or perhaps the apostrophe is being used to indicate something other than elision.” Silence. “In which case, what does it indicate?” Richard couldn’t bear it anymore. “It just looks cool,” he said. Don Donald turned toward him with a bright, fascinated look. Behind him, Richard could see everyone else collapsing; things had gotten a bit tense. “I beg your pardon, Richard?”
“Donald, look. You’re the only guy in this particular sector of the economy who has the whole ancient-languages thing down pat to the extent that you do. Everyone else just totally makes this stuff up. When some guy wants a word that seems exotic, he’ll throw in a couple of apostrophes. Maybe smash a couple of letters together that don’t normally go, like Q and Z. That’s what we’re dealing with here.” Silence in a different flavor. “I am aware that it doesn’t exactly jibe with your M.O.,” Richard added. “M.O.?” “Modus operandi.” “Mmm,” said the Don. “If you want to make up some languages,” offered Devin, “knock yourself out.”
I am driven to madness when people leave out "to be" in a sentence:
"The car just needs restored"
"The radio needs fixed"
"The dinner needs cooked"
etc etc
"The car just needs restored"
"The radio needs fixed"
"The dinner needs cooked"
etc etc
Honestly, since one of my most despised persons on a forum are 'grammar nazis', it makes things like "rogue apostrophes" an indulgence.
Except that I would never correct or mention a person's grammar in regular posting. That's why I created this thread for those that hate these kind of mistakes. One of my most despised types are are trolls who interfere with threads they have no interest in. Merry Christmas.
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Gramer is dead, I kilt it
Wish I could go back in a time machine and recapture my writing skills. Seriously, I was better at it out of 12th grade (many years ago).
I would also have to state that there are some environments where writing rules rule
. Legal writing for instance.
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