Punctuation nitpick

[lapdogdesign]

I know I've read enough rants about punctuation and word choice and grammar on my flist to know that I'm not alone in my annoyance when mistakes are repeatedly made. But there is one thing that I see everywhere (by folks with otherwise good grammar usage, in the RL and online) that it is DRIVING ME UP A WALL and I knew I could share it here

Comments

[miniglik]

I do it accidently all the time. It's a typo my eyes skim over; and not just to proper nouns.

The worst offender, however, is "lots." I say "lot's" lots.

[lapdogdesign]

I say "lot's" lots.

Hee. We all make mistakes. I tend to over-comma. It's just the apostrophe that's really grating on the nerves these days. Probably because I am reading "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" which is the memoir of a admittedly-crazy British punctuation nitpicker.

[havemy_heart]

I hate that too! I've seen Logan's last name as "Echoll's" and Veronica's last name as "Mar's." *nails on a chalkboard* I actually made an icon for this situation, but I don't use it anymore. It says: An apostrophe does not mean "Watch out! There's an S coming!"

As for the last name issue, I just write The Echolls Family, for example. I'm not a fan of tacking on the "es," as in Echollses. That's too awkward.

And as someone whose first name ends in an "s," I prefer to have it said Mercedes' book instead of Mercedes's book. That extra "s" gets on my nerves.

Just my .02!

[lapdogdesign]

I knew you would understand my pain, Merc. :)

And as someone whose first name ends in an "s," I prefer to have it said Mercedes' book instead of Mercedes's book. That extra "s" gets on my nerves.

Well, when I went looking for vindication from the grammar experts here, this is what they have to say about your situation:

NOTE: Although names ending in s or an s sound are not required to have the second s added in possessive form, it is preferred.

So I think you're in the clear to NOT use that second S.

[delicatelight]

Hee hee hee.

[lapdogdesign]

Yes, I know I am insane. RIGHT, but insane.
:)

[earth2mars]

Aw man. I can't begin to tell you the number of Christmas cards that I receive that misuse the apostrophe. The scary part? I receive a number of them from English teachers. :( Yikes.

There's a website somewhere devoted to the misuse of apostrophes in print/ads/signs.

[lapdogdesign]

There's a website somewhere devoted to the misuse of apostrophes in print/ads/signs.

Oooh. I will so look for that.

I can't begin to tell you the number of Christmas cards that I receive that misuse the apostrophe. The scary part? I receive a number of them from English teachers.

I know, I know. *criez*

I think this is the one I saw...

[earth2mars]

http://www.apostropheabuse.com/

Also...

[earth2mars]

How hot is Ben? Man, I miss Farscape...

Re: Also...

[lapdogdesign]

That is a show I've never really watched. I downloaded the entire series TO watch, but I keep getting distracted by other things. Like currently I'm on a Smallville kick. I started watching Season 4 for the beautifully lit, kissy-face Jensen, but now I have a hankerin' to watch it all from the beginning (a compulsion of mine when watching new shows), and it's in like, what -- the 16th season? (Actually the 7th, but still!)

I do have a thing for BB, though. miniglik, a huge FS fan, would mock me every time I'd stop on Stargate SG1 just for a glimpse of the pretty. "You've got a far better show to watch him in! Leather pants! What are you waiting for?"

Nevertheless, I keep promising myself I'll get back to FS. I watched the first 5-6 eps and got stalled. In part because the hubs openly mocks anything Star Trek-ish (well, except Star Wars) so I had to watch it on my own.

Re: Also...

[earth2mars]

Yes, leather pants AND even a mention or two of Buffy. That made me love him even more.