tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post4056980999471565365..comments2024-03-27T07:18:58.033+00:00Comments on Frances Garrood: Save the apostrophe!Frances Garroodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-84292011203708981102013-03-24T21:39:48.280+00:002013-03-24T21:39:48.280+00:00The rule over legal documents (in the UK at least)...The rule over legal documents (in the UK at least) has been somewhat relaxed now Maggie. The reason used to be that legal drafters had to word things in such a way that there could be no ambiguity at all even if someone, in copying a document for example, omitted a comma. I have to say that in my experience old legal documents tended to be much less open to grammatical interpretation than modern ones although the objective of every legal draughtsman is to avoid ambiguity.GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-28499875640322529302013-03-22T14:49:37.591+00:002013-03-22T14:49:37.591+00:00Totally agree with what everyone has said, but why...Totally agree with what everyone has said, but why then do some legal documents omit as much punctuation as possible? They seem to babble on without so much as a full stop. Maggie Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15938216505505274248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-12159112385693340232013-03-19T10:16:15.692+00:002013-03-19T10:16:15.692+00:00"Except ye utter by the tongue words easy to ..."Except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?" 1 Corinthians 14:9. Although I am atheist I still consider that The Bible is a book worth knowing and St Paul's Epistles had some good advice. <br /><br />I think that we may be living in an age when the use and meaning of words is changing at a faster rate than ever before: an age when words are so often used with scant regard for their true meaning and with scant regard even for their import.<br /><br />It is also an age where, paradoxically, the importance of accuracy in legal documents and political speeches is more important then ever as the media disect (and misquote and misuse) every utterance.<br /><br />Without punctuation and the so very important apostrophe all this can come tumbling down around our ears.<br /><br />Bang on about it as much as you like Frances. I'll be there supporting you.GBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10289400344300258872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-5573534288530515572013-03-19T10:08:04.656+00:002013-03-19T10:08:04.656+00:00Join the club, Rosemary!Join the club, Rosemary!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-67025489166729316442013-03-19T09:46:19.087+00:002013-03-19T09:46:19.087+00:00I didn't know it was geting to that point, Fra...I didn't know it was geting to that point, Frances. I love the apostrophe and semi-colon - any punctuation in fact. But I cringe when seeing those awful apostrophe errors, so perhaps none is better than the wrong kind at times!Rosemary Gemmellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09311840205603508422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-39294909359056480232013-03-19T08:49:00.002+00:002013-03-19T08:49:00.002+00:00Excellent idea, Meike!Excellent idea, Meike!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-1550597346181324452013-03-19T08:06:14.645+00:002013-03-19T08:06:14.645+00:00I love the idea of a gang of us going around with ...I love the idea of a gang of us going around with huge red markers doing a spot of proof-reading, Librarian :-)Paula RChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05550276147711384895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-71510721491333538612013-03-18T21:48:37.517+00:002013-03-18T21:48:37.517+00:00So, funnily enough, from what you say the English ...So, funnily enough, from what you say the English are using the apostrophe as wrongly as the Germans, who think they are being "modern" and "trendy" when they spice up every little sentence with as many apostrophes as they can. Sometimes when I see signs in shops or elsewhere I really want to get a huge red marker out and do some public proof-reading.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-31996409034131504592013-03-18T21:00:47.012+00:002013-03-18T21:00:47.012+00:00Perhaps we should have Save the Apostrophe tee shi...Perhaps we should have Save the Apostrophe tee shirts printed. Any takers?Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-21503248078642866242013-03-18T20:59:55.692+00:002013-03-18T20:59:55.692+00:00They've moved about too much, and have wandere...They've moved about too much, and have wandered away from where they should be!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-16572164805591100022013-03-18T20:57:55.271+00:002013-03-18T20:57:55.271+00:00I think dots are fine. So are exclamation marks if...I think dots are fine. So are exclamation marks if it's an exclamation, like this!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-49911168673360840602013-03-18T20:56:10.521+00:002013-03-18T20:56:10.521+00:00I think you can be forgiven in a text!I think you can be forgiven in a text!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-1917801400036772162013-03-18T20:54:53.451+00:002013-03-18T20:54:53.451+00:00Good point, Kay.Good point, Kay.Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-21628135715762398762013-03-18T20:54:13.824+00:002013-03-18T20:54:13.824+00:00Keep up the good fight, Paula!Keep up the good fight, Paula!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-11780038616059895792013-03-18T20:53:03.601+00:002013-03-18T20:53:03.601+00:00I don't think grammar is actually taught (thou...I don't think grammar is actually taught (though I may be wrong). Kids seem to be left to pick it up for themselvesFrances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-91634941672152362522013-03-18T20:51:34.449+00:002013-03-18T20:51:34.449+00:00Aaaagh indeed!Aaaagh indeed!Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-66441826391394414762013-03-18T20:51:12.069+00:002013-03-18T20:51:12.069+00:00An excellent idea I've never been a teacher, b...An excellent idea I've never been a teacher, but that's a good answer to the problem (if it is a problem...).Frances Garroodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10614916006798375706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-57825982015627002472013-03-18T19:41:47.606+00:002013-03-18T19:41:47.606+00:00I saw that in the paper at the weekend. Changing S...I saw that in the paper at the weekend. Changing St. George's to without the apostrophe. Stupid. The words are being stripped of their proper meaning. Glad you think that as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-57695108007741103972013-03-18T17:42:55.590+00:002013-03-18T17:42:55.590+00:00I may have mentioned before that I also have the &...I may have mentioned before that I also have the " France's" problem. I don't remember being taught how to use the colon or semi colon at school, though did have a very good grounding in grammar generally......as one did over 50 years ago. You see where I have used a line of dots? Is that where I should have used a colon/semi colon? A comma doesn't feel right there. Help please! ( And there is an exclamation mark...oh dear)Franceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02576715462615744934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-63042058566377969692013-03-18T17:22:20.854+00:002013-03-18T17:22:20.854+00:00When sending short text messages from the phone, i...When sending short text messages from the phone, it's really tempting to skip the apostrophes... DawnTreaderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04533307672147117843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-86190635627278553692013-03-18T17:21:00.133+00:002013-03-18T17:21:00.133+00:00I haven't noticed a reduction in apostrophes. ...I haven't noticed a reduction in apostrophes. I suspect the trouble is you're looking in the right places whereas many apostrophes are lurking in the wrong places.Patsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12263765378083045973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-8453278966873389452013-03-18T16:20:17.245+00:002013-03-18T16:20:17.245+00:00I fight with my computer all the time when I want ...I fight with my computer all the time when I want to use an apostrophe and it changes it to an open-quotation mark. e.g. '69 for 1969. <br />Computers (or the people who make them) are to blame for quite a bit of this problem, especially the ones who want to auto-finish our words.<br />KKay L. Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966266404058177742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-51563905247852278272013-03-18T16:08:26.974+00:002013-03-18T16:08:26.974+00:00Sorry, *how to write properly... In a hurry to get...Sorry, *how to write properly... In a hurry to get back to finishing another chapter :-)Paula RChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05550276147711384895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-31917623264059127802013-03-18T16:07:07.757+00:002013-03-18T16:07:07.757+00:00I saw this on a back of a taxi bus... Dont drink a...I saw this on a back of a taxi bus... Dont drink and drive. Pardon me, don't you mean 'Don't' I wanted to say. It's one thing to have new words in the English language but please don't abuse the language itself.<br /><br />I always wanted to know how the write properly, and now I'm just getting the hang of it; they want to dum it down because others are too lazy to learn it. Agggghhhh! Paula RChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05550276147711384895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132582821010486689.post-77180264384482115442013-03-18T14:39:17.646+00:002013-03-18T14:39:17.646+00:00I love apostrophes too. I always thought they were...I love apostrophes too. I always thought they were a straightforward matter, indicating either possession or omission. Nothing else;<br />its, of course, being the one exception to the possession rule.<br />Nothing complicated about them. But people are determined to apply them to plurals instead. I've never understood why.Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10346863303904973315noreply@blogger.com