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Apostrophes for plurals

10 replies

America12 · 14/01/2023 18:14

This is becoming more and more common.
I've just seen a post 'same mother , different father's'

So annoying.

OP posts:
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Flyinggeesei234 · 20/01/2023 12:45

Same as it ever was.

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SwedishEdith · 04/02/2023 14:10

It's becoming more common everywhere. And the more often people see it, the more often those who are not sure copy it as they think it must be right.

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CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2023 14:16

Flyinggeesei234 · 20/01/2023 12:45

Same as it ever was.

Quite. It has always been common and is known as the Greengrocer's Apostrophe because of the signs saying Carrot's, Cucumber's etc. They were ubiquitous in the 60s and 70s when I was young.

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Hadalifeonce · 04/02/2023 14:20

Annoyingly, my 'phone sometimes corrects what I have typed to something I didn't intend, and I have already pressed post or send!

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CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2023 14:25

CaptainMyCaptain · 04/02/2023 14:16

Quite. It has always been common and is known as the Greengrocer's Apostrophe because of the signs saying Carrot's, Cucumber's etc. They were ubiquitous in the 60s and 70s when I was young.

Actually, that should probably be Greengrocers' Apostrophe. They were all at it.

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newtb · 04/02/2023 14:28

Also plurals such as mother in laws rather than mothers in law.

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Judashascomeintosomemoney · 04/02/2023 14:29

Hadalifeonce · 04/02/2023 14:20

Annoyingly, my 'phone sometimes corrects what I have typed to something I didn't intend, and I have already pressed post or send!

Oh yes, annoying isn’t it? My iPhone is determined to make me look stupid. It also seems to think I want to write Duck an awful lot. I don’t, 😉.

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quinceh · 04/02/2023 14:31

Think sometimes it’s an autocorrect, but it is annoying!

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TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 04/02/2023 14:46

Perhaps the writer just accidently missed off the last word 'sperm'. 🤔

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upinaballoon · 04/02/2023 19:04

I once saw a sign which was supposed to warn us that lorries might be turning around in that place, as there were roadworks. It said Lorrie,s Turning or Lorry,s Turning, which completely avoided getting the apostrophe, if one were needed, in the wrong place. Honestly, I saw it with my own eyes, on a regular basis, until the roadworks ended.

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