ALL SCI-FI

[orzel-w]

Who says a website devoted to sci-fi can't be educational as well? Certainly not I.

Starting way back in the 1980s, I began noticing the misuse of apostrophes in public signage and written materials. (It was a little harder to tell if they were being applied incorrectly in talk radio.) Fast forward to the 2000s, where I saw a sign that included an apostrophe in a Spanish word. (For those not familiar with Spanish, it has no apostrophes.) Nowadays hardly a day passes without notice of at least a few applications of apostrophes. Apparently, either apostrophic ignorance had gained a foothold in our educational system and was now being passed along by teachers, or it was just no longer an engrossing subject in school.

Well, I'm gonna do what I can to help alleviate that shortcoming. Personally, judging from the apparent ability to convey meaning even with misplaced apostrophes, I feel that we could just as easily do away with them altogether. But as long as we're still using them, we might as well use them correctly.

Now, if you're still with me, there are only a couple rules, and one small exception, of any consequence for applying apostrophes. Apostrophes are used:

1. Denoting contraction.
This is where one or more letters are left out, usually when words are compounded. Examples: don't (for "do not"), can't (for "can not" or "cannot"), wouldn't (for "would not"), we're (for "we are"). This would also apply when years are shortened, as with the '80s (for "the 1980s").

2. Denoting possession.
This is the case where a person or thing owns or possesses or is responsible for the item being referenced. Examples: Fred's fingernails; writer's cramp; a stone's throw.

Now the minor exception... Apostrophes are not used for possessive personal pronouns. Examples: ours, yours, his, hers, theirs, whose, and the most commonly misapplied case, its. It's (with an apostrophe) is a contraction of "it is" or "it has". It does not denote a possession of "it".
_________________
...or not...

WayneO
-----------

[Robert (Butch) Day]

Ah, A grammar cop.

Amongst linguists the spoken language has the only correct usage. The "rules" you posted were created by the Victorian upper class.
_________________
Common Sense ISN'T Common

[orzel-w]

[Brent Gair]

I'm absolutely in favor of grammar cops.

As more and more communication is done online and with things like texting, I find it increasingly difficult to understand what I'm reading.

I'm certainly not perfect but I make an effort to be understood. One big problem is that the internet has dramatically accelerated the mutation of language.

For the longest time, I have been seeing the word "prolly" used on the net. As I learned from my old English granny, prolly is an old colloquialism for a baby carriage. However, in the minds of an increasing number of net users, "prolly' is the typed form of "probably".

I've also noticed how many slang terms and colloquialisms have evolved into nonsense terms. For example, the term "boat load" is a perectly logical colloquialism describing a large amount. In recent years, it has become common to describe a large amount as a "butt load". Does that make any sense?

Maybe it's a moo point. Let Joey explain.

https://youtu.be/8bo54wE_rJU

[orzel-w]

...

Or bolding.

Or colored fonts.

Or various sizes of fonts.

Or hyperlinks.




Or smiley faces.
_________________
...or not...

WayneO
-----------

[orzel-w]

[Randy]

[orzel-w]

That's exceptional, all right.

_________________
...or not...

WayneO
-----------

[Robert (Butch) Day]

The character's name is spelled "Itt".
_________________
Common Sense ISN'T Common

[scotpens]

One major bug up my bum is the incorrect use of homophones like affect and effect, or principle and principal. It's really not that hard to remember which one to use.

[orzel-w]

I've lately become heated up over the substitution of further for farther. However, I see that the guardians of proper English usage have thrown the game and allowed it. Not so vice versa, however. At least that's something.
_________________
...or not...

WayneO
-----------

[Randy]

I traveled further and further until I ended up farther from my home than I had ever been before.

or

I traveled farther and farther until I ended up further from my home then I had ever been before.

I see nothing wrong with using either.

[orzel-w]

Philistine.
_________________
...or not...

WayneO
-----------

[Robert (Butch) Day]

According to Wikitionary —

FARTHER

Adjective Comparative form of far: more far Of or pertaining to being distant, or of greater distance in degree or of extension in time.

Adverb Comparative form of far: more far.

FURTHER

Verb (transitive)
1) To encourage growth. Further the economy.
2) To support progress or growth of something.

Adjective

1) Comparative form of far: more far; of or pertaining to being distant, or of greater distance in degree or of extension in time.
2) More, additional.

Adverb

1) Comparative form of far: more far
2) (conjunctive) Also; in addition to.
3) (location) At greater distance in space or time; farther. Washington DC is further from Europe than New York.
4) (conjunctive) Moreover; beyond what is already stated. Further, affiant sayeth naught. (A formal statement ending a deposition or affidavit, immediately preceding the affiant's signature.)

Confusing, ain't it?
_________________
Common Sense ISN'T Common

[Bud Brewster]

"Luke, before you go any further, listen to me . . . I am your farther! Or vice versa."
_________________
____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)