to be irritated by apostrophe abuse in the MN newsletter?

[satine]

Exhibit A: "photo's"

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

or even apostrophes

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!

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

thread's deleted

EB - I have reported that post to MNHQ

's

yes and can't you use it for 70's, 80's etc. ellbell? even though it looks wrong...

'flu doesn't actually make sense to me anyway - really shouldn't it strictly be 'flu' seeing as the full word is influenza?

I quite like writing 'cello. Although don't use the word that often .

Ummm... I wouldn't use it for 70s/80s, no, but it possibly is acceptable according to some style guides.

(And I already said that about 'flu'!!)

What about 'phone? Is that anachronistic these days?

oh so you did Ellbell, sorry! I wouldn't use it for 70s/80s either but notice that it is done quite a lot, similarly CDs, DVDs etc.

I prefer 'cello, used to have to type it quite a lot

I get fed up with my own apostrophe abuse, but I was not taught how to use apostrohes properly, therefore I abuse them.

I know people who still write 'flu and 'phone, but not 'bus. I think it's a generational thing.

But the "apostrofly", as the Grauniad calls it, should be swatted without remorse!

And "there/their"... sets my teeth on edge when people get it wrong.

I hate it too. How could people not know basic grammar?

'flu with one apostrophe is not short for influenza. The apostrophe in 'flu denotes the omitted word "man" and it means near death, certain to expire soon, much much worse than that silly kitten of a cold you had last week, etc. etc. (which leads me to ask why does this latin short form (etc) not have an apostrophe?)

I was thinking of this in bed last last night (yes i am that sad).

Apostrophes for contractions (can't didn't etc) are mainly used as the only form of contraction these days. 'Bus, 'Pram etc are outdated and rarely used due to language evolving at lightning speed these days.

So IMHO possession and contractions like those mentioned above are correct.

Oh, and watch your its and it's.

That was not to anyone particulrly - just a pedantic generalisation

A bit of punctuation needed to clarify:

So IMHO, possession and contractions, like those mentioned above, are correct.

Caroline, etc. has a full-stop at the end to show that it's an abbreviation. We use apostrophes for contractions (didn't) but for abbreviations we use a full-stop (etc., vol., and so on). A little known fact, however, is that you only need to use the full-stop to show that something is an abbreviation when the abbreviated form ends with a different letter from the full form. Hence you write 'etc.' (from et cetera) and 'vol.' (from 'volume'), but you don't need a full-stop after 'Mr' (Mister) or after 'vols' ('volumes). I think I do too much editing...

Eat's shoots' leave's. You're apostrophes' guide.

I hate "photo's"

The equivalent of it is 'phone for telephone and no one does this. Photos photos photos.

i always wondered? what is 'cello short for?

depends, what was the whole sentence?
if it was "that photo's massive, 'innit'
then it would be chavtastically correct (bar the 'innit)

Violincello, elasticsortinghat.

thanks, violincello
now i know