Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

to be irritated by apostrophe abuse in the MN newsletter?

56 replies

satine · 12/07/2007 18:27

Exhibit A: "photo's"

Am I a sad pedant who needs to get out more?

OP posts:
elasticbandstand · 12/07/2007 22:06

's

Quattrocento · 12/07/2007 22:03

EB - I have reported that post to MNHQ

elasticbandstand · 12/07/2007 22:01

thread's deleted

Quattrocento · 12/07/2007 22:01

YANBU
Don't you think that Mumsnet's policy on deleting threads should be extended to include those abusing apostrophes?

Ellbell · 12/07/2007 21:58

Attila... no, I wouldn't do it (it's wrong) but I know why some people (my mum is one of them, and I asked her..!) do!

WendyWeber · 12/07/2007 21:57

or even apostrophes

WendyWeber · 12/07/2007 21:57

No, it's FLU - no aspostrophes -

AttilaTheMum · 12/07/2007 21:56

But would you write photo' to indicate the missing -graph in the singular? (In the same way as you might write tho' for though?)

elasticbandstand · 12/07/2007 21:54

shame on me, you are quite right,
'flu'

Ellbell · 12/07/2007 21:53

elasticbandstand, surely it should be 'flu', as there is both an 'in-' and an 'enza' missing!

Also, MrsJCC, you can use the apostrophe if making letters plural; e.g. 'It is important to watch one's p's and q's when meeting the Queen'. It's not obligatory with capital letters ('Ps and Qs' would be OK), but it is with small letters.

God, I am so sad... Note to self... Get a life, woman!

WendyWeber · 12/07/2007 21:53

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

One photo, two photos. Tsk.

Original poster
satine · 12/07/2007 21:51

I have to admit, I didn't think of the missing -graph aspect. I assumed that it was an incorrect pluralisation (eg "CD's", "carrot's"). So I apologise for leaping to an insulting conclusion.

OP posts:
elasticbandstand · 12/07/2007 21:51

i can't believe people would put 'bus!
although i put 'flu

MrsJohnClaireCusack · 12/07/2007 21:49

although you can use an apostrophe for abbreviation such as CD or DVD, you don't need to and also I'm not sure photo counts, as it's accepted - as Ellbell says...
according to here "The only case where you do need an apostrophe for the plural is with special words and expressions which are not usually found in the plural (and as such should probably not be used in your writing). For example: No if's or but's, get off to bed now!"

am now off to get a life

Ellbell · 12/07/2007 21:35

The apostrophe should not be there, Carrie. It is analogous to writing 'bus (for [omni]bus). But 'photos' is now so accepted as a word in English (as, indeed, is 'bus') that the apostrophe is unnecessary, and could indeed be misleading ('the photo's what?).

CalifrauniusFudge · 12/07/2007 19:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

popsycal · 12/07/2007 19:37

oooh no apostrophe
nonononono

MadEyemarthamooDy · 12/07/2007 19:35

I'm not sure either. Can't find anything by googling - but photo's (to indicate the missed out graph bit) does make sense. Maybe it's one of those where it was photo's originally and we've lost the apostrophe over the years. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt anyway, Carrie.

MNHQ
carriemumsnet · 12/07/2007 19:28

Now that's what I call a proper howler - maybe you should send back with red pen and must try harder

runawayquickly · 12/07/2007 19:27

I couldn't give a toss about the newsletter. I do care, however, when a note from school comes in with the legend "PLEASE REMIND CHILDREN TO BRING THERE PE KITS".

MNHQ
carriemumsnet · 12/07/2007 19:25

Well interestingly as someone who "proofs" the newsletter I wavered over this and thought perhaps it was indeed the correct way of writing photos to indicate as Ellbell said the graph bit missing...

Perhaps someone could come back with definitive answer? I did English but that means nowt in terms of grammar (as in they just assumed everyone learnt it at school and therefore left us all to it).

If it is an offence it's at least an honest faux grammatical one, rather than an its it's etc howler, no?

Original poster
satine · 12/07/2007 19:14

Thankyou!!

OP posts:
Ellbell · 12/07/2007 19:12

You Are (Not) Being Unreasonable

Original poster
satine · 12/07/2007 19:11

What does 'yabu' or 'yanbu' mean?

I don't know whether to be pleased or not...

OP posts:
Ellbell · 12/07/2007 18:56

Ahem... I mean, of course, that there is a '-graph' missing... (photograph, not photoograph!)