Epidemic of Apostrophitis
June 20th 2008 03:05
I am constantly bemused by the curious use of the oft-unobtrusive but notoriously insidious APOSTROPHE.
For the benefit of those who do not already know, this levitating-comma is typically used to accord the meaning of possession, eg John's shirt, my sister's car, Liz's notebook. In addition, the apostrophe is also permissible when the user wishes to abbreviate a verb and attach it to the subject matter preceding it, eg It's raining, I'd rather not, He'd already left, etc.
Like all things grammar, its use is subject to the rigour of uncompromising rules. In its function to convey the notion of possession, the apostrophe is appended before "s" if the possessive noun ends with other than "s". Otherwise, the apostrophe is hooked after the word. An example would be children's day but ladies' night.
Hence, it is difficult not to despair when this petite but dignified entity, in its own right, is carelessly employed (like a dangling accessory to enhance putative writing stature) or callously omitted like it was never born.
On the doors of restrooms at my local gym
Second-hand Car advertisment
Used and Exec Hondas
Many late model low Km's to choose
Enquire now for your next car
Several months ago, at a car dealer in the suburbs, there was a gargantuan banner earnestly pronouncing
Once-in-a-lifetime SPECIAL'S!!
This years Toyota's at Yesteryears Prices
(Spot the disease. Apostrophitis at its terminal! Palliative care only is recommended.)
Before closing, I wish also to point out another solecism which even the most enlightened may occasionally succumb. That is the double possessive. For eg. "This is most certainly the most renowned work of Pissarro's." In this case,the preposition "of" already suggests possession without having to insert the petulant, the fastidious. The apostrophe has (oops!) all of a sudden become otiose.
Indeed, if this tiny "almost-dot" is an accroutrement, it does play a pivotal role in the whole dress ensemble. Wearing it on awkward places is the surest way to contract the intractable disease.
For the benefit of those who do not already know, this levitating-comma is typically used to accord the meaning of possession, eg John's shirt, my sister's car, Liz's notebook. In addition, the apostrophe is also permissible when the user wishes to abbreviate a verb and attach it to the subject matter preceding it, eg It's raining, I'd rather not, He'd already left, etc.
Like all things grammar, its use is subject to the rigour of uncompromising rules. In its function to convey the notion of possession, the apostrophe is appended before "s" if the possessive noun ends with other than "s". Otherwise, the apostrophe is hooked after the word. An example would be children's day but ladies' night.
Hence, it is difficult not to despair when this petite but dignified entity, in its own right, is carelessly employed (like a dangling accessory to enhance putative writing stature) or callously omitted like it was never born.
On the doors of restrooms at my local gym
Second-hand Car advertisment
Used and Exec Hondas
Many late model low Km's to choose
Enquire now for your next car
Several months ago, at a car dealer in the suburbs, there was a gargantuan banner earnestly pronouncing
Once-in-a-lifetime SPECIAL'S!!
This years Toyota's at Yesteryears Prices
(Spot the disease. Apostrophitis at its terminal! Palliative care only is recommended.)
Before closing, I wish also to point out another solecism which even the most enlightened may occasionally succumb. That is the double possessive. For eg. "This is most certainly the most renowned work of Pissarro's." In this case,the preposition "of" already suggests possession without having to insert the petulant, the fastidious. The apostrophe has (oops!) all of a sudden become otiose.
Indeed, if this tiny "almost-dot" is an accroutrement, it does play a pivotal role in the whole dress ensemble. Wearing it on awkward places is the surest way to contract the intractable disease.
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