You could, if you wanted write possessives in english without apostrophes although it would be slightly annoying to always write out things like “the mailbox of Smith”, but if spanish can do it, I’m sure we’d survive.
I know the English language changes slowly. We’re stuck with apostrophes for at least another generation.
I noticed just now the Oxford dictionary still has outdated rules for compound adjectives. I never see hyphens used in sugar free, accident prone, fair haired etc. The Oxford is way out of date trying to force hyphens into those phrases.
I dare you to go to Ireland and tell every O’Brien and O’Neill you meet that their name is getting retired. 
Letsgetridoffspacestoo.Spacesdonothingexceptgetinthewayofonewordmeetingwithanother.Plusmyspacebarisbroken.
WhynotObamadidit?
I know this is a joke thread, but your premise is flawed: the apostrophe for contractions is not an outdated grammar rule.
The younger generation is, by and large, doomed to spelling words incorrectly, and to not giving a royal shit whether or not it’s “skills” or “skilz”. It doesn’t mean that all of us have to look like utter fools.
If the apostrophe is going to be used as a standard and mandatory orthographic “letter” in the English alphabet, they could have at least put it with all the the other letters on they keyboard, instead of making touch typists stop and look for its currently fashionable position. When I learned typing, it was Shift-8. And it wasnt even an apostrophe then, it was a dual purpose right and left single quotation mark.
I quit using them a long time ago, unless my writing needed to be recognized as formal by pedants. If I write shouldnt or dont and you have no idea what Im talking about, youre not going to understand anything else I say, either.
I never judge anyone’s writing on the SDMB. I assume they are rushed just like me. I often post during short breaks during my day. There’s no time for editing or proofreading. I do enough proofreading for memos and support documentation I get *paid * to write at work.
Isn’t cannot one word? Both ways are equally correct, but I see cannot used more frequently.
In a text message? Sure - why go to the extra effort? But, for example, a message board post will be read many more times than it will be written. In that case, why make it easier for the writer by making it harder for the reader(s).
“I won’t abide you speaking that, thieves! Can’t in MY house!”
Shouldn’t you write it like this: Both ways are equally correct, but I see “cannot” used more frequently.
My heart bleeds for the poor souls who have to type all those extra keystrokes!
Personally, I’ve never found it a burden to do so, and I have never once felt the need to resort to text-speak in texts, instant messages or emails.
My boss, on the other hand, is untroubled by writing “I hope ur happy with the proposal” in an email to the president of a company we’re pitching. Great idea, that…I’m sure he is greatly impressed knowing that the head of our firm talks like a Valley Girl. But look…he’s saved four whole keystrokes!
I’m with the others…never give in to the barbarians at the gate. The English language, despite its occasional frustrations, is a beautiful vehicle for conveying thought. If it takes a few extra keystrokes for the sake of it doing so clearly and unambiguously, it’s an effort I’m more than willing to make.
This.
And I may be in a dwindling minority, but I absolutely assess the intelligence of a poster based on how he or she writes. Anyone can make a typo from time to time, but consistent misspellings, poor grammar and generally shoddy writing inevitably get in the way of the ideas expressed, no matter how worthy they may be, and make me think less of the writer.
No apologies for this. If you don’t care enough to write reasonably well, it says to me that you don’t care much about anything else.
Ah, so Shakespeare had poor intelligence since his spelling was terrible?:rolleyes:
And some of us use some deliberate “error” as we want the language to change for the better. For example, I dont like apostrophes much, I think “tho” is better than “though” and “an” is stupid, just use “a”.
But grammar nazi’s refuse to let the language evolve.
I strongly disagree. What is your cite for the notion that using hyphens in compound adjectives is “outdated”?
If you never see hyphens in the phrases you list, then you’re seeing some piss-poor writing.
I’ve seen myriad examples of the absence of hyphens in such phrases leading to stumbling and confusion.
Really, you have * ten thousand* examples? :dubious:
Literally, I suppose?
Hilarious.
(I’m taking a considerable leap and responding to this post as if the poster is serious and not pulling our legs. If I’ve been wooshed, then, woohoo, you got me!)
Where exactly do you get this idea? Spelling was all over the place in Shakespeare’s day. The fact that he himself spelled his own name several different ways is testimony to this. According to Wikipedia, “It was not until Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) that a truly noteworthy, reliable English Dictionary was deemed to have been produced.” So there was no particular standard of spelling for Shakespeare to aspire to during his lifetime.
Ooh, what a rebel! How did it go for you when you used this approach in writing a cover letter and résumé for that job you went after?
A newspaper (I seem to recall it was a Chicago one, but I’m not sure) that wanted to try your same force-feeding approach adopted this tactic this in the early part of the 20th century, but abandoned it after a short period of time. Guess it didn’t catch on.
Great idea, but help me out here…how exactly am I supposed to say (as opposed to write) “I really think you’re a asshole”? (Nothing personal; just the first example that came to mind!)
Now I don’t know whether this was intentional or just you being you. Doesn’t seem to square very well with your great hunger for using fewer keystrokes.
If you think you’re making some real gotcha point here…sorry, but you lose.