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Pedants' corner
Original poster

Photos

24 replies

JarethTheGoblinKing · 28/03/2011 21:21

Apparently this is technically incorrect. Photo's looks wrong too (for obvious reasons).

What IS correct?

OP posts:
Rohanda · 28/03/2011 21:37

so want it to photoes....

CurlyhairedAssassin · 28/03/2011 21:39

I assume that technically, "photo's" IS currect. The apostrophe is there to show there are the letters missing from the word "photographs"."

?????

but it looks wrong, yes.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 28/03/2011 21:40

or even "correct"!

Rohanda · 28/03/2011 21:46

no, it's photoes. Def. [ignoring the sense of curly's position]

winnybella · 28/03/2011 21:49

No, it's not, Rohanda. It's photos.

winnybella · 28/03/2011 21:49

As it is a word in its own right.

Rohanda · 28/03/2011 22:05

but wouldn't it be nice if it was......?

Original poster
JarethTheGoblinKing · 28/03/2011 22:07

No. No it wouldn't Grin

If I write photo's then I look like an idiot who doesn't know how to use an apostrophe, even is it might be technically correct.

OP posts:
winnybella · 28/03/2011 22:10

Who told you it's correct? Confused

BitOfFun · 28/03/2011 22:14

I think that "photo" has evolved through common usage into a word in its own right, hence the absence of an apostrophe in the plural. Otherwise we would be referring to 'phones, surely?

WhatsWrongWithYou · 28/03/2011 22:17

I still write 'phones Blush.

Original poster
JarethTheGoblinKing · 28/03/2011 22:26

an english professor Wink

BOF, agree - my sister disagrees and won't use it Confused. Good example with phones. I don't know anybody who uses 'phones anymore.

OP posts:
VictorianIce · 30/03/2011 20:13

discos
pianos

photos

MrsNoggin · 10/04/2011 22:31

I write 'phone. But more often than not I just use telephone instead. And I'm 23. Confused

Pterosaur · 10/04/2011 22:37

My dd's cello teacher writes 'cello. Cello, phone and photo have been around since the C19th century as words in their own right; it's a bit precious to treat them as abbreviations, to my mind.

LawrieMarlow · 10/04/2011 22:45

I wonder if anyone ever puts 'bus any more?

Greythorne · 10/04/2011 22:48

I still write 'phone but not to be precious. It's just what I was taught as a child and it has stayed with me.

MsScarlett · 11/04/2011 19:02

I really don't like these apostrophes to indicate an omission in plural abbreviations. I can see the logic, but I also think it looks wrong and like the writer doesn't know how to use apostrophes!

activate · 11/04/2011 19:03

I love you lot

Mspontipine · 17/04/2011 03:27

'plane

nickelbaalamb · 19/04/2011 15:53

originally it would have been photo's, but photo is accepted as a word in its own right, so it's photos.

SlightlyScrambled · 20/04/2011 12:03

I'm showing my ignorance now by asking; what comes before cello?

nickelbaalamb · 20/04/2011 12:25

the full name is
violoncello.
(i'm not sure if it's correctly spelled)

SlightlyScrambled · 20/04/2011 17:48

Oh thanks nickle. I'm learning a lot from this corner.

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