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Pedants' corner
Original poster

Places you really shouldn't find a rogue apostrophe....

31 replies

GrimmaTheNome · 17/08/2009 14:37

Today I came across a printed sign "DVD's £2 per week".

It was in the library of all places.

Got any worse examples where they should have known better?

OP posts:
notwavingjustironing · 17/08/2009 14:44

I actually wrote to Sainsburys a few years ago as they had erected a large plastic (all the letters separate) sign on the wall with the apostrophe in the wrong place. Imagine how many people must have signed it off ?

notwavingjustironing · 17/08/2009 14:45

Guessing yes?

GrapefruitMoon · 17/08/2009 14:45

On a display at school. Dh brought it up witht he responsible teacher at parents evening . Don't think she appreciated it!

RealityIsDetoxing · 17/08/2009 14:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

StealthBearWipesBumOnDailyMail · 17/08/2009 14:48

in pedant's corner

NetworkGuy · 18/08/2009 18:52

LOL notwavingjustironing You could always visit their site or look at a till receipt....

Hint... it is "J Sainsbury plc" so no final "s" and no need for wondering about an apostrophe as a result (!)

As for the Library - probably a task for the most recent librarian... you know, just recently out of university, so luck it wasn't a longer notice as it would probably have appears in mobile txt spk !

NetworkGuy · 18/08/2009 18:53

ooops - note to self - re-read and type slower...

"so lucky it" and "have appeared in"

StinkyFart · 18/08/2009 19:00

It's not just us

JeMeSouviens · 18/08/2009 19:06

I often get confused regarding this, is there a simple rule you pedants can share with the rest of us?

I know the one for replacing a letter, like it is becomes it's, but what about the one where it belongs to the thing:

that is my fathers' pen. Is this correct?

And if it is a plural,

The students did not want to do their homework.

Is abstinence correct?

JeMeSouviens · 18/08/2009 19:07

mmm the article refers to St John's close, so should it be that is my father's pen?

And when do you use the apostrophe at the end, fathers' if ever?

See it's very confusing for a non-pendant, but I would really like to learn.

Greensleeves · 18/08/2009 19:08

down your cleavage

JeMeSouviens · 18/08/2009 19:12

I've just looked down my cleavage, and thankfully, while there are a few breadcrumbs, there is not an apostrophe to be seen.

edam · 18/08/2009 19:23

JeMe - its and it's are tricky. It's is a contraction of it is, not the possessive form of it.

apostrophe + S (before the S) is for possession where one person owns the thing you are talking about. So edam's post or JeMe's post or my father's pen.

apostrophe AFTER the s is for plural possessive - so if you had lots of fathers who owned one pen (imagine the Pope really cracked down on the stationery budget) it would be the Fathers' pen. (Cap F for Father as a title for a priest).

Gets complicated with words ending in S. You can choose whether to go with James's pen or James' pen.

Original poster
GrimmaTheNome · 18/08/2009 22:42

I sometimes have a pendant down my cleavage.

And sometimes a pedant too, of late, since DH is drilling DD for 11+ and has been brushing up on the rules.

OP posts:
Original poster
GrimmaTheNome · 18/08/2009 22:46

Its/it's breaks the rules - the latter is reserved for the contraction so the poor old possessive of it doesn't get its rightful apostrophe. I think that one is forgivable as it's quite illogical.

OP posts:
edam · 18/08/2009 22:57

Most English grammar is illogical, especially as it was basically made up by a series of people who felt like writing books on the topic in the 18th century. Many of whom felt that English grammar should conform to the rules of another language altogether, Latin.

If we start giving up on the grounds of illogicality, we might as well throw out all the rulebooks!

streakybacon · 19/08/2009 07:55

The secondary school where ds is at summer playscheme has display boards on the walls, showing extracts from their last Ofsted. One boasts "there is a range of expertise to meet individual pupil's needs".

Or maybe that's right - perhaps they select one child at random each year to support and the rest are left to fend for themselves

GooseyLoosey · 19/08/2009 08:07

At a lovely local cafe run by an ex-teacher, they have advertised a wide variety of "Panini's". Dh nearly choked on his when he read the sign.

NetworkGuy · 19/08/2009 10:30

LOL - streakybacon - lovely analysis - it shows what secondary schools are coming to when they can get something this basic so wrong...

Oh dear, I laughed so hard until I cried... I'd better keep my views to myself on schools!

streakybacon · 20/08/2009 18:02

I saw another one there today, something about 'enhancing the pupil's development'.

Looks like I was spot on

Original poster
GrimmaTheNome · 20/08/2009 18:06

Um... doesn't "individual pupil's needs refer to the needs of one (unspecified, but clearly singular) pupil?

'enhancing the pupil's development' could be right or wrong depending on context.

OP posts:
UnquietDad · 20/08/2009 18:14

I'm chuckling now thinking of Lynne Truss and the Giant Kid's Playground. Where nobody goes as they are all scared of the Giant Kid.

Talking of those in school, though, I remember DD's Y2 teacher had up a (proper, bought, professionally laminated) calendar with "WHO'S BIRTHDAY IS IT?" along the top.

curlyredhead · 20/08/2009 18:15

No, its (possessive) follows the same rules as his, hers, theirs, which don't have apostrophes either. If I were more learned I would know the right collective name for all those words as a class....

NotEvenTheTrees · 20/08/2009 19:12

Possessive personal pronouns...

Grimma, it refers to a group of individuals and therefore is plural but yes in other instances pupil's would be correct.

cattj · 23/08/2009 20:28

A bit extreme? www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2210671912

However, note there's more than 118 000 members!