On Monday 13 August 2012 09:03:38 Neil Bothwick wrote:

> The confusion arises because, when used with a name, an apostrophe is
> needed for a possessive.

The confusion arises because the apostrophe has two functions, which
collide in its/it's. Who can tell /a priori/ which applies in any given
case? You just have to know. There's no substitute for a decent
education.

> It is an understandable error...

Indeed, which is why I don't usually rise to any particular bait.

> ...unlike grocers' apostrophe's, which crop up everywhere and are far
> more grating for me.

Agreed, except that I think you mean greengrocers'. I also find that
commas seem to be thrown at random into a piece of prose in the apparent
hope that a few will land where they might do some good. Even Penrose is
sometimes guilty of that. And don't start me on the egregious Oxford
comma. Nor on the German insistence on separating the verb from the
object with a comma, as though the action could proceed without
something to act on.

Even worse is the developing inability to distinguish between singular
and plural. Not only that but the growing use of "stuff" shows an
inability to distinguish even between what can be counted (number) and
what can't (amount). I could find myself in despair if I weren't careful.

--
Rgds
Peter

On Tue, 14 Aug 2012 01:16:05 +0100, Peter Humphrey wrote:

> > ...unlike grocers' apostrophe's, which crop up everywhere and are far
> > more grating for me.
>
> Agreed, except that I think you mean greengrocers'.

Both are valid. Greengrocers' is the more common, grocers' is shorter.
When you are paid by the word, the difference is important

> I also find that
> commas seem to be thrown at random into a piece of prose in the
> apparent hope that a few will land where they might do some good.

I know what you mean, but that is more a matter of style than rules. I
have been criticised by editors for using too many and too few.

> Even
> Penrose is sometimes guilty of that. And don't start me on the
> egregious Oxford comma.

I wouldn't dare.

> Nor on the German insistence on separating the
> verb from the object with a comma, as though the action could proceed
> without something to act on.

Different language, different rules. Put another way, I don't speak
German so I don't care


--
Neil Bothwick

Cross a tagline and a tribble? You get a full HD...