to be horrified by dreadful use of the apostrophe in signage. DH says nobody else notices.

[EccentricaGallumbits]

A high street shop.

On the big front sign thingy over the window.

Sweet Melody's

That was the shop's name.

Am I wrong and unreasonable to find this a shocker?

Maybe Melody is the shop keeper's name?

as in Sweet Melody's shop?

Or just wrong? DH says it's only people like me that would notice.

no

I am similarly pedantic too. Especially as the like of the big four do it - they make billions of pounds a year, can't they afford someone that can write on the payroll??

I notice and am always horrified.

Was in Wells-Next-the-Sea this weekend and every othr shop seemed to have added random apostrophes willy-nilly to their signs. Maybe it's Normal for Norfolk?

Then there where a whole load of roads with missing apostrophes! A whole series of roads named after people, Elizabeths Road, Byrons Close, Sarahs Lane etc. How did no one in chanrge notice this?!?

YANBU. Apostrophes indicate possession or a missing letter. It's not difficult.

(cough) Well's-Next-the-Sea, please.

Are you sure wildfig?

pretty sure no ' in Wells!

If it makes you all feel better (or worse, as the case may be), Clapham Junction Rail Station in London until three years ago had huge signs up on the platforms saying, "Britains busiest railway station".

What a great impression that must have given all the tourists/foreigners/commuters etc that travelled through the station! It made me livid but smile at the same time

We have a new salon locally, called:

Wait for it.....

Kimmy,s

I'm not joking.

I can forgive (just, through gritted teeth, and after several large gins) the hand-written signs by greengrocers and market traders etc., on the basis that we can't all be good at everything, and they were probably the victims of a mediocre/crap education. But on printed, sanctioned signs for large corporates such as M&S or Tesco, well that's just beyond forgiving. These people spent quite literally millions every year on brand image/advertising etc and they really should have people to check and double check this stuff. In fact, they do, And they should be sacked or shot or something.

I saw a blinder yesterday, at a boot fair. (Always a great place to spot the classic greengrocer's apostrophe.) I've never seen this before and please God, never will again. Ready?

Purse,s and wallet,s

Now doesn't that just take you to a whole new surreal level of crap punctuation? I almost had to call myself an ambulance after that one.

TiggyR! I got there before you and mine was a NEW EXPENSIVE MASSIVE SIGN! IN PINK!

I saw a sign in Sydney Museum that had a misplaced apostrophe. A permanent sign, for an exhibit - not an ad hoc scribbled one. In the museum of a capital city, in an English speaking country. That did irritate me.

I too am an apostrophe pedant/spotter. I notice, and I care!

My favorite so far:

"All day breakfast
Cho'ose 5 items ..."

It was on a permanent printed sign at Washington Services on the A1.

It really bugs me too. I always smile when I think about the bakery that sells "gateaux's". How very classy!

We call them apostrophe catastrophes!!

I think Melody must be the shop keeper's name.. or it should be...and if not it should say Sweet Melodies ( correct plural of melody.)

Lacking or inappropriate apostrophes drive me nuts.

Who says tehre has not been a decline in grammar and a dumbing down of GCSE English?

I give you...
No Dog's allowed.
In pub, as it happened we did have a dog with us. Was too thirsty after a long walk to point out error, also pub seemed a bit of a 'local pub for local people', didn't think they'd welcome my input.

i thin you read that situation appropriately, in all probability madlentileater.

Has anyone mentioned BRITISH RAIL'S signs (Is it just Temple Meads?) that say 'Todays tickets only'

How many todays would that be?

think

Was that a joke wildfig?

If not, sorry, but you are so wrong

Most people don't notice, but I do and it gets my goat. I like Lynne Truss's idea of going round sticking them on / writing them in / Tippexing them out where they're wrong or absent.

I'm enjoying the recent upsurge in the use of quotation marks for emphasis.

For example:

"Please" do not park your "bike" outside this window. "Thank you"

It reads as though it's dripping with sarcasm.

Deep joy!

Sorry, posted and then went away. Yes, it was a joke!

WOW Potatofactory - what an amazing coincidence! I've never seen it before - what are the chances?! I kinda like it though in an excruciating way. It tells me that the writer has become so utterly bewildered by (or cavalier in the face of)the whole apostrophe minefield that rather than risk getting it in the wrong place up top he'd just go for the bottom. These people really seem to think punctuation is optional, and comes in a variety of styles, like pick'n'mix.

Really, I don't mean to be smug or superior, God knows I'm not Einstein, but how fecking difficult can this actually be?