Comments on: Bob the Angry Flower speaks out against improper apostrophe use http://eloquentscience.com/2010/02/bob-the-angry-flower-speaks-out-against-improper-apostrophe-use/ Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:26:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Prof. David M. Schultz http://eloquentscience.com/2010/02/bob-the-angry-flower-speaks-out-against-improper-apostrophe-use/#comment-106 Prof. David M. Schultz Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:35:35 +0000 http://eloquentscience.com/?p=648#comment-106 Hi Curtis, To compound the issue, some publishers and copyeditors will prefer one syntax ("during the depression of the 1930s"), whereas others will prefer the other ("during the depression of the 1930's"). Dave Hi Curtis,

To compound the issue, some publishers and copyeditors will prefer one syntax (“during the depression of the 1930s”), whereas others will prefer the other (“during the depression of the 1930′s”).

Dave

]]> By: Curtis Wood http://eloquentscience.com/2010/02/bob-the-angry-flower-speaks-out-against-improper-apostrophe-use/#comment-104 Curtis Wood Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:21:28 +0000 http://eloquentscience.com/?p=648#comment-104 Indeed, once one has learnt of correct apostrophe use, it’s pretty easy to use; and one sees bad use all over the place. But most people are simply never taught it. And others forget. And others copy what they see (cf. the greengrocer's apostrophe). But there are some grey areas. Some dictionaries allow apostrophes to avoid confusion about what the letter 's' could mean (e.g. in acronyms and initialisms such as VCR's, CD's). But it’s mostly clear: the concise OED has less than a page on the apostrophe. Anyone unclear on apostrophe use should read that section and thus be clear in its use in the future! I'm tempted to put that image on my door. But I fear it might cause offense to those not on firm apostrophe ground... Indeed, once one has learnt of correct apostrophe use, it’s pretty easy to use; and one sees bad use all over the place. But most people are simply never taught it. And others forget. And others copy what they see (cf. the greengrocer’s apostrophe).

But there are some grey areas. Some dictionaries allow apostrophes to avoid confusion about what the letter ‘s’ could mean (e.g. in acronyms and initialisms such as VCR’s, CD’s). But it’s mostly clear: the concise OED has less than a page on the apostrophe. Anyone unclear on apostrophe use should read that section and thus be clear in its use in the future!

I’m tempted to put that image on my door. But I fear it might cause offense to those not on firm apostrophe ground…

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