This is funny. I started a similar thread awhile back, but instead of getting a bunch of responses like “Excellent thread, Blowero”, I got more along the lines of “How DARE you criticize us?”. Of course, it might have had to do with all the cuss words I used in my OP.
I love Bob the Angry Flower, though.
While guilty in the past, here is “affect” and “effect”
As a verb, the most common meaning of affect is “to influence” i.e. we don’t know how the rules will affect us.
Effect, as a verb, means “to bring about.” i.e. no other avenue to effect the change
affect as a noun means a feeling or emotion while effect, used as a noun, means (among other things) a result or outcome. One important effect of the provision is…
Speaking of misplaced apostrophes:
Re: the thread title.
So… the “sake” belongs to the “fuck”? How many sakes does fuck own, and can I borrow one?
Sake, like fuck, should be served at 98.6 degrees. Coincidence?
Hate to break this to you, jj; however, some [sub]absolutely moronic[/sub] folks have been using “her’s” instead of the correct version of that particular pronoun. Quite sad, isn’t it?
p.s. Feel free to check this thread: The Nineteenth Letter of the English Alphabet.
Well, in some people’s (mine for example) defense, it could just be really bad typing skills rather than bad apostrophe use. I am pretty good with punctuation and spelling, and I even proof stuff before I post it.
But DARNED if some unintended typo (like the darned thing gets stuck on the back of a didnt’ for some bizarre reason).
Sometimes, it’s just clumsy typing. Other than that, I’m in full agreement.
:eek:
I did not know that. I’ve always typed “her’s.”
I will not do so in the future.
What a bunch of punctuationist’s you all are.
(FTR I’m totally in line with the OP)
"When is it “it’s”? When it is it is.
When is it “its”? When it isn’t it is."
I agree with MSU1978 on this one (courtesy of an Irish education). It’s what we were taught but few seem to know it in London unfortunately.
Another annoying thing is the change from seperate to separate -anyone noticed That?!? Ugh!
Oh, by the way MSU - did you realise your log-in name is a medical abbreviation for Mid-Stream Urine? Just thought I’d throw that in… lol!
Cite is a quotation, and a reference to the location where the quotation was found.
Sight is the sense that allows us to see.
Site is a location. I’m sure there are specific rules as to its use, but if you’re talking about a place, even a non-physical place, you probably want “site” if you’re using one of these words.
affect is either a transitive verb or a noun. As a transitive verb it is used to mean one of the three following:
As a noun, affect means a feeling or emotion, especially as manifested by facial expression or body language, in relation to #2 above.
effect is more complicated, so I will quote what I found on dictionary.com:
So, an effect is the end result of something, while an affect is an emotion.
Now that I’ve thoroughly confused that issue…
Welp, so far we have the Thread Police, the PC Police, the Link Police, and I’ve actually been dubbed the ‘Shame Police’, I only see it fitting that jjimm be dubbed the Grammar Police.
Thank yew.
So this board is only welcomed to people with certain levels of education?
Gee, and here I thought it was welcome to all people. (who aren’t jerks)
I just don’t get people like you. Is it that you have a hard time comprehending what the poster is trying to say if he/she uses their apostrophes wrong? Talk about fighting ignorance.
I thought the OP was a splendid example of fighting ignorance, actually. He laid out the rules for apostrophe use very clearly. Much of that should have been taught - to native English speakers, at least - by at least the pre-teen years in school, so it doesn’t require a lot of education to learn how to use apostrophes properly.
Using apostrophes to note abbreviations and numbers is a point about which reasonable people may differ. I don’t care for it myself, but my employer, a legal publisher, requires it.
SHAKES, there’s a difference between “um, by the way, it’s supposed to go this way” and “you idiot, here’s how you use apostrophes!” And my read of this thread leaves it firmly in the first category. Would fighting ignorance be better served by ignoring gramatical ignorance as well?
It doesn’t take “certain levels of education” for one to learn to use proper grammar. My formal instruction in grammar was over prior to high school.
Indeed. :rolleyes:
Gaudere strikes again! 
Great post, jjimm.
If you are literate enough to type words that form coherent sentences, then you should already have the education necessary to use apostrophes correctly. This isn’t about people with no education; it’s about people who ignore (or simply forget) the education they’ve already had.
Sometimes apostrophe misuse can lead to misinterpretations. Even in cases where the meaning is obvious, grossly incorrect grammar is something that everyone should strive to avoid.
u can undrsatnd wat im riting, but does that meen that no1 shud correkt me if i rite liek this?
If someone posted, “2+2=5” and I corrected them, would you get upset? Why is apostrophe misuse any different? It’s just as wrong as 2+2=5.
Exactly. People who misuse apostrophes are ignorant. They’re ignorant of correct apostrophe usage. Why should attempts to educate people upset you so?
So, umm, you guy’s are probably expecting something like this. Wheres the fun if you cant use you’re post’s to make an ass of yourself? So, I am go’n’na (confused by the missing letters rule’s) just go ahead and do that. Hope ya’ll dont mind.