Birmingham City Council bans apostrophes from road signs

Birmingham Post ^ | Jan 29 2009 | Paul Dale

[forkinsocket]

.

[Flycatcher]

“It would be tragic if the ambulance couldn’t find your street if you forgot to include the apostrophe when calling 999,”

Hes dumb. We dont say "apostrophe" when were speaking.

Its odd, isnt it?

[for-q-clinton]

It’s common practice to not use apostrophes in place/street names in America.

Both sides are making a mountain out of a mole hill. Or should that’s be a mole’s hill?

[for-q-clinton]

BTW: What is calling 999?

[Xenalyte]

>>And it’s a brave adult who can be absolutely certain where to put the little beast.<<

Then I guess I’m brave as all hell, and have been since 1986 when I became technically an adult. Apostrophes are not difficult.

[Flycatcher]

Im knot Brit.

Eye dont no. Im sorry.

[Xenalyte]

999 is Britain’s 911.

[livius]

The possessive apostrophe will probably disappear anyway because nobody knows how to use it correctly nowadays. Generally, the sense is obvious from the context, so I doubt that it will make much difference (although for those of us who grew up with it, there will always be something missing).

[ChicagahAl]

“follow the example of America, which dropped the possessive apostrophe in place names in 1890.”

Not to mention, “Dumbing down public education since the 1960’s”.

[Revolting cat!]

I do’nt see why its wrong you’re having apostrophe’s?

[N. Theknow]

BTW: What is calling 999?

It's the Number of the Beast south of the equator.

[bill1952]

Shows the real success of American Public education, now doesn't it?

“Public schooling” is an oxymoron.

[EggsAckley]

Mr Richards, whose website on the correct use of the apostrophe has had over one million hits, said: “This is setting a terrible example. All over Birmingham, and in other cities, teachers are trying to teach children correct grammar and punctuation.”

The “Apostrophe Catastrophe”

[UCANSEE2]

LOL!

[jwparkerjr]

Wow, I’m elated to see them do away with those pesky little guys. Can we look forward to no longer having to worry about verb and subject agreement, or when to use bigger or biggest, and of the course the Mother of all of them, further or farther?

I can’t wait to stop by the grave of Miss Dobbins, my senior English teacher 50 years ago, and tell her!

[Doohickey]

[Revolting cat!]

[Revolting cat!]

[apocalypto]

I read somewhere that google.com has a bias against apostrophes and takes it out on select sites but not all of them. Go figure, if true.

[Revolting cat!]