tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27606211.post112177833186993432..comments2023-06-04T11:38:40.921-04:00Comments on words / myth / ampers & virgule: Your's, our's, and their'sDick Margulishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10169512038331158003noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27606211.post-91972023326550525482009-02-24T14:06:00.000-05:002009-02-24T14:06:00.000-05:00I personally would welcome a more coherent system....I personally would welcome a more coherent system. I'd start by banning the use of the apostrophe to form the plural of given names. Banning it for the genitive would be a good idea too. It confuses people immensely that we use it for some plurals, but not for others, for some possessives, but not for others.<BR/><BR/>It's as bad as French grammar, exceptions all over the place.<BR/><BR/>But I'll fight you for question marks.<BR/><BR/>And no, no grandchildren, although that probably will change in the fairly near future.Janethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600030574995481267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27606211.post-10808176162142234182009-02-24T13:49:00.000-05:002009-02-24T13:49:00.000-05:00LOL. Yes, they'll be around longer than you and I,...LOL. Yes, they'll be around longer than you and I, but they may not survive our grandkids (I don't have grandkids yet—no idea whether you do).<BR/><BR/>I look at the styles that were current when I was a kid—spelling, punctuation, capitalization—and note the radical changes in the last four decades. Then I look at the things that <I>may</I> catch on from today's teen texting grapholect (for example the use of z instead of aspostrophe-s to mark possession), and I don't think it's too far-fetched to think mainstream usage may move toward elimination of the apostrophe to mark the genitive.<BR/><BR/>I could be wrong, of course. That's happened before.Dick Margulishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10169512038331158003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27606211.post-85195490852057455502009-02-24T13:33:00.000-05:002009-02-24T13:33:00.000-05:00Apostrophes and hyphens are in danger? I wish. O...Apostrophes and hyphens are in danger? I wish. On the contrary, they are being stuck in too many places where they don't belong, as your title beautifully illustrates. Apostrophes, in particular, swarm the Internet like cockroaches. And like cockroaches, they'll be around longer than you and I.Janethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600030574995481267noreply@blogger.com