Pedants sign here.

[lionheart]

Is this new topic an attempt to contain the rampant pedantry that exists on MN?

Discuss.

LOL!

Only on Mumsnet

Oh wow - I wouldn't say I am pedantic fully, just a little - please can we laugh at correct things from other places other than MN facebook ?

oooh,excellent,I must join...

Huw Edwards - I cannot bear that. When people obviously have no idea where and where not to put apostrophes, so they just sprinkle them liberally with no reasoning, it makes me sick with despair. No, really.

Hassled, I see emoticons at the ends of sentences as full stops with personalities

But, if that view offends, here are some spares to stick on the ends of my posts when needed.

...........................................

By QuootieSpookypie on Mon 05-Nov-07 13:34:48

Do you mean relatives', Quootie?

Yup I certainly doooooo. That's why I am a semi pedant - I like to laugh at text speak and mispellings and the in laws but am thick as anything myself.

I'd have thought the essence of being a sign-writer was being able to spell, and then pointing it out to your clients? I've seen two separate signs, for two different developers, saying "Land aquired for development". AAGGHHHHHH!!!! I wince and mutter every time I drive past them.. I have only just restrained myself from writing to tell the developers how crap it looks, but, sadly, I don't suppose it actually bothers many people...

I like the idea of this as an HQ whence we can roam across the site wielding the bright sword of pedantry and the trusty shield of correct English usage.

Will we have a special secret signal that we can send out if we see the English language in distress, which will bring fellow-pedants running with the punctuation first-aid kit?

(I can spell 'exemplary' btw! Just a momentary cod-ism. Normal service is now resumed.)

I'm with Ellbell. Our services are needed throughout the land!

Oh, give me land,
Lots of land under starry skies above,
Don't fence me in,
Let me ride thru through
The wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself
In the evening breeze,
Listen to the murmur
Of the cottonwood trees,
Send me off forever,
But I ask you please,
Don't fence me in.

is that a ... dictionary you're carrying, midnightexpress?

Ooooh! Can I join the orderly queue of people waiting to sign up?

Hello, I am (or was) a professional pedant (production editor), so I feel at home here. This thread reminds me of one of my favourite jokes:

Q: Who lead the Pedants' Revolt?
A: Which Tyler.

Click here for some fine examples of apostrophe abuse...

Yes Ma'am.

at the joke Meg

There's a thread on here with the word "iv'e" in the title...

lol Meg. Then I guess everyone knows this classic -

Q: How many pedants does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: bayonet or screw?

I am so easily amused...

at capitalisation of 'Net'...

Who led the Pedants' Revolt?

of course technically that should be Bayonet

Marvellous, a pedants' corner.

For those of you on Facebook, I heartily recommend the group "Signs That Fascinate And Amuse". The earlier pictures in particular could be expressly designed to get pedants up in arms (including a marvellous example of Multiple Flagrant Misuse Of The Apostrophe, immortalised in a fancy brass nameplate).

Ooh, what a lovely, homely feeling there is here
LOL at Which Tyler!
What really amazed me about those photos is the one with a list of plurals and only one or two have apostrophes. Surely it would make more sense if it was consistently wrong?