While streaming "Scott & Bailey" (British crime drama), I heard a new phrase — greengrocer's apostrophe. Referring, of course, to the superfluous use of that pesky little mark.
The misuse is becoming so common that some call them apostroflies — annoying insects that buzz in where they're not wanted.
Discuss.
Paige
You may want to delete your duplicate new post.
That error has been around for a long time. Ignorance is bliss for those who don't know how to create possessive forms, and don't want to learn.
@Paige Hawthorne
You may want to delete your duplicate new post.
Not possible for the poster to delete a thread. I've dropped a note to Lazeez advising him of the duplicate. :-)
Not possible for the poster to delete a thread. I've dropped a note to Lazeez advising him of the duplicate. :-)
@Paige
You can't delete a thread with active posts. You can delete your posts, and if you can convince others to delete theirs, then you can delete the entire thing.
The key is, if you notice a duplicate post, you've got to jump on it before someone adds a 'witty' comment!
That error has been around for a long time. Ignorance is bliss for those who don't know how to create possessive forms, and don't want to learn.
One reason why you see if associated with Green Grocers, is that those shops are often run by 1st generation business owners, who are still struggling with the language. They may speak it well enough, but they've not yet mastered the intricacies of punctuation and grammar. Thus it's not that they don't want to learn, but those people are merely trying to provide a service, and don't understand why they're being targeted for something which, to them at least, is only a minor mistake.
Incorrect grammar is annoying, but it's hardly the end of the world, and in situations like these, it's often best to ignore misguided corrections (in adding the punctuation to the wrong phrase).
greengrocer's apostrophe. Referring, of course, to the superfluous use of that pesky little mark.
That term has been in use for over 100 years and it originated in London, England - so I'm surprised you hadn't heard of it.
That term has been in use for over 100 years and it originated in London, England - so I'm surprised you hadn't heard of it.
I'm not. Most late-blooming authors typically come to their 'grammar awareness' late, simply never noticing those simple typos before they became interested in writing. Once they do, and they start concentration on words and their proper use, they'll likely notice ANY typo.
Referring, of course, to the superfluous use of that pesky little mark.
There are two (at least?) forms of superfluous uses of apostrophes.
The "greengrocer's apostrophe" is the use before an S for a simple plural noun.
The other, which I see more often as an editor, is the possessive form of personal pronouns. Many authors seem unaware that there is no apostrophe in any of the possessive forms: yours, hers, its, ours, and theirs.
The other, which I see more often as an editor, is the possessive form of personal pronouns. Many authors seem unaware that there is no apostrophe in any of the possessive forms: yours, hers, its, ours, and theirs.
I'll confess, I do this often. But just like Ernest's "sue" instead of "use", it seems to be more muscle memory, where I'm simply used to typing "it's", and so type it instead of "its". Most of the time I do use the correct word, but because it's so common, many times I'm unable to notice when I've typed the wrong word while typing fast. (i.e. it's not that authors don't know the right word, but that once the mistake is made, it's often difficult to see because the typos is so common.
That's why we pay our volunteer editors so handsomely! 'D
That's why we pay our volunteer editors so handsomely! 'D
Now that's a idea I like! A swear jar. An author must pay a fine every time they make their editor swear. :-)
Now that's a idea I like! A swear jar. An author must pay a fine every time they make their editor swear. :-)
Most of mine swear everytime they see an email from me with a story attachments, so it wouldn't work well.
Now that's a idea I like! A swear jar. An author must pay a fine every time they make their editor swear. :-)
Most of mine swear every time they see an email from me with a story attachments, so it wouldn't work well.
Yeah, the whole point of a swear jar is lost when everyone swears whenever they're sworn at. The jar doesn't help if one swear automatically generates another twelve! In the end, we'd just keep passing the same quarter around indefinitely.
The misuse is becoming so common that some call them apostroflies — annoying insects that buzz in where they're not wanted.
Does that term apply to the misuse (i.e. the misplaced apostrophes, which look like flies on the sign) or the Grammarians for flock to such simple errors like fries to rotting fruit?
I remember reading about the Greengrocer's Apostrophe back in the 1960s and the article I read said it came about by the shortening of what was on the signs which is why they weren't on all of the signs to start with. The greengrocer would have the food on display and it he'd have some things being sold by weight and some things were sold per each and this was reflected on the sign. Over time some words got dropped and the way people knew what was what was due to the apostrophe, then all of their goods started to be sold by weight (mostly due to law changes) and things have gotten murkier since. Originally the signs were something like below with morphology except I put the words in not the signs:
Each Apple's price is 1/2 penny - Apple's 1/2 penny
Potatoes are 3 pence a pound - Potatoes 3 pence a pound - Potatoes 3 pence
While streaming "Scott & Bailey" (British crime drama)
While scarfing my evening meal, I watched the first episode of a crime drama new to UK network TV - 'The Detail'. In the closing credits, it named 'Scott & Bailey'. The production is Canadian and showing on UK channel 5USA, Canada being an American state ;)
It wasn't too awful so I'll watch the next episode - next week - if I remember.
AJ
Canada being an American state
We tried during several wars with England (Revolutionary and War of 1812) but never managed to add Canada to the United States of America. Or perhaps you are recognizing that Canada geographically shares the North American Continent. It is a State, in the sense of being an independent country, in The Americas, the Western Hemisphere, North and South America.
Canada being an American state ;)
You missed the all-important smiley.
Still, a significant number of old-world millennials allegedly believe that Canada is part of the USA, so there's no harm in reiterating the facts.
AJ
Canada being an American state ;)
You missed the all-important smiley.
Now that joke I got (and thus my poking the Ross bear about his jokes).
There's funny, there are jokes which some people just don't quite get, and then there are those few which are so far off the mark, they only appeal to a few with the exact same mindset (as he further pokes the bear). 'D
Still, a significant number of old-world millennials allegedly believe that Canada is part of the USA, so there's no harm in reiterating the facts.
Not a literal part (as there aren't many American stories set in Canada), but it's widely recognized that Canada is essentially a separate country in name (and law) only, as we mostly share the same market and benefit each other just as the other U.S. states do. So, in a way, Canada is the U.S.'s white Puerto Rico. They enjoy the benefits, but can't vote to determine our future mis-direction. 'D
he further pokes the bear
That's okay. The bear was busy at the time on other threads getting his retaliations in first.
We tried during several wars with England (Revolutionary and War of 1812) but never managed to add Canada to the United States of America.
Is that literally true or am I misunderstanding the sentence? I vaguely recall being taught that there was a slogan about "Forty-Four Forty or Fight" having to do with where the border would be, but not over US actually trying to take over Canada to make it a state of the U.S.
Is that literally true or am I misunderstanding the sentence?
It's half true. We did try to take control of the area that is now Canada, However, the last time we did that was as part of the war of 1812, and Canada would not exist as a self governing polity until 1867.
Half-true because the goal was only part of what is now Canada? or half-true because the goal was to get it all and there was only a half-vast effort to get it? Or some other half I didn't think of?
Or some other half I didn't think of?
Half true, because it wasn't Canada yet when we tried to take it.
Did we try to take all of it?
All of it that was under the control of Great Britain at the time. We wanted Great Britain out of North America.
We wanted Great Britain out of North America.
You're not the [first] continent to have had that idea. :-)
You're not the continent to have had that idea. :-)
1. Okay, I have a weight problem, but I'm not quite big enough to qualify as a continent. :)
2. Is is just me or is there a word missing from the quoted sentence. ;P
I'm not quite big enough to qualify as a continent. :)
My apologies.
Is is just me or is there a word missing from the quoted sentence. ;P
At first I couldn't see, but yes a word was missing, and I've corrected my post now.
2. Is is just me or is there a word missing from the quoted sentence. ;P
That's the proverbial 'you', or more accurately, the plural you referring to all those 'trying to dump Britain. In fact, now Britain in trying to dump Britain too (in case that went over anyone's head, that's Brexit as the British wanting less 'British' control over who manages the British economy).
And yes, Ross, I know that joke will fall flat too. 'D
2. Is is just me or is there a word missing from the quoted sentence. ;P
DS,
I'm not sure what CW meant in his last post but, being straight now, I confirm my 'continent' comment was (yet another, I am obsessed) joke about Brexit ... basically Britain wants to get out of Europe, and Europe is becoming increasing happy at the prospect of getting rid of them.
Did we try to take all of it?
That would make it a half-and-half truth, and the only truth in that regard is that 'dairy creamer' is only distantly related to dairy products by the slimmest of margins!
Yeah full fat!!!
… and Canada would not exist as a self governing polity until 1867.
Now that's a word even those of us literary snobs don't see very often. Bravo! Five points for your ten dollar word (though that still leaves it about five bucks short). 'D
Referring, of course, to the superfluous use of that pesky little mark.
I will not name the author of this:
he twisted the monsters arm behind it's back
Sigh!
Double-sigh!!
he twisted the monsters arm behind it's back
"My punctuation is Wobbly. It's good punctuation but it Wobbles, and the punctuation marks get in the wrong places."
(With apologies to Winnie-the-Pooh)
AJ
I will not name the author of this:
he twisted the monsters arm behind it's back
Hey! I resemble that. Your/Paige's 'pesky little mark' was there, it was just visiting a friend so it wouldn't feel so lonely all by itself. 'D
I will not name the author of this:
Actually it was quite easy to find. The story has quite a decent score too.
(Lazeez seems to have disabled the "Please click on a letter to get authors beginning with it. Or type the first few letters of the author's name" from the Alphabetical Author Listings page. Hopefully that's just a temporary hiccup.)
AJ
Lazeez seems to have disabled the "Please click on a letter to get authors beginning with it. Or type the first few letters of the author's name" from the Alphabetical Author Listings page. Hopefully that's just a temporary hiccup.
I didn't disable anything. Which page are you talking about? I checked the 'Authors' page, the one that lists all the authors and the alphabetical bar works as expected as does the search field.
I'm not getting the search field on the first page (https://storiesonline.net/library/authors.php) although it's there after you select a letter. I'm using Chrome.
AJ
I'm not getting the search field on the first page
It was never there. But since it seems to be an expectation, I added it.
It was never there. But since it seems to be an expectation, I added it.
Thank you!
I need to cut down on the amount of idiot-box I watch - it's doing serious damage to my half-braincell :(
AJ
Stares uncomprehendingly at the screen, drooling ...
Careful dear, you're beginning to look like a politician...
Now concentrate, read my lips... No, other lips... Watch less TV.. Got it..??
@Ross at Play
I will not name the author of this:
The author has sent me an explanation which I fully understand: they wrote a story too personal and traumatic to go back later and re-read. Some time later they posted it 'as is'.
