'Laziness has won': apostrophe protection society admits its defeat

The Guardian ^ | 1 Dec 2019 | PA Media

[ken in texas]

A society dedicated to preserving the “much-abused” apostrophe is to be shut down as its chairman said “ignorance and laziness” had won.

John Richards, who worked in journalism for much of his career, started the Apostrophe Protection Society in 2001 after he retired.

Now 96, Richards is calling time on the society, which lists the three simple rules for correct use of the punctuation mark.

[ken in texas]

I had never heard of this esteemed organization but I will lament its passing. ;-)

[fwdude]

Because punk-sheaction is so HAAAARRRDD!

[DannyTN]

Apostrophes never needed your protection.

But who is going to protect ‘y’o’u’ from apostrophes?!?

[real saxophonist]

[ken in texas]

I’ll have to check that out... never heard of it before now.

[Mr. Mojo]

<< but I will lament its passing >>

Good job in keeping the apostrophe out of ...its.

[mmichaels1970]

but I will lament its passing

Don'cha mean lament IT'S passing?

[FreedomPoster]

One of his best, a great album. I saw him on the tour behind its release.

The feral apostrophe is rampant out there in the world, a real scourge.

[Buckeye McFrog]

You know what did in the apostrophe? It wasn’t laziness.

Tiny little cell phone keyboards. THAT’S what did in the apostrophe.

[ken in texas]

I thought of putting one there to see how many would congratulate me for using it properly. ;-)

[far sider]

Thats sad.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

The apocryphal demise of the apostrophe.

[guyfromjrz]

My last name starts O’D.

It annoys me that certain things like DL and Corp e mails etc bastardized my mame.

I can always tell when telemarketers call and to pronounce my without ‘.

Anyway, that’s my rant about the apostrophe.

[captain_dave]

“Its” is correct, not “it’s”.

[mmichaels1970]

Tiny little cell phone keyboards. THAT’S what did in the apostrophe.

Good point. Royal pain to have to press SHIFT/1/1/1/1/1/1 to get apostrophe's in you're text's.

[mmichaels1970]

“Its” is correct, not “it’s”.

You dont say. Thank's for the correction.

[Styria]

Useless article. They don’t state what the three rules are!

[Dawgreg]

Don’cha mean lament IT’S passing?

Wouldn’t it be ITS because IT’S means “it is”......I stand corrected...;)

[real saxophonist]

[IronJack]

Exactly! I can think of two right off:

1) To indicate possession — Bob’s wife, the school’s reputation ...
2) In contractions, to indicate omitted letters — don’t, can’t, shouldn’t ...