# I swiftly herewith consign to the pit, the ignorant clowns who misconstrue "its" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 11, 2012, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871 "2012-07-11T05:44:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![greenslime1951](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@greenslime1951](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenslime1951)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/41 "2012-07-11T16:59:20Z")
> [@Silver\_Tyger](#): > > I always got the impression that French spelling is harder than English, as in English something like 80% of the words are phonetic-ish. But I don’t speak French, so I’m probably wrong. > > _writes **Machine Elf** down on the list_ Loose for lose is physically painful for me (and I mean that almost literally - it makes my head hurt). Lose the hounds! ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/42 "2012-07-11T17:21:49Z")
> [@greenslime1951](#): > > when is “it” ever plural? When it’s its. No wait… ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/43 "2012-07-11T17:27:48Z")
It is what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/44 "2012-07-11T17:28:28Z")
Why so angry, OP? It’s an arbitrary orthographic convention settled on capriciously years ago; we could just as well have been writing “it’s” for both situations, or have never written possessives with apostrophes in any case, or myriad other such things, except that we aren’t. It’s perfectly understandable that people slip up from time to time ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/45 "2012-07-11T17:28:40Z")
You mean it’s what it’s. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/46 "2012-07-11T17:34:30Z")
And then there was the person I proofread for who regularly made words possessive with 'es. No, I’m not kidding. ---
**Author:** ![ASanders](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asanders/32/3367_2.png) [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/47 "2012-07-11T17:36:03Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > What does send me into a homicidal frenzy is the interchangeable use of _there_, _their_, and _they’re_, as those are all entirely different words with entirely different meanings. As, for that matter, are \*to \*and _too_. And loose and lose!! I don’t get that one at all, ever. The pronunciation is different, the meaning is different, ARGH. > [@greenslime1951](#): > > Lose the hounds! Consider them lost. My teeth were set on edge this morning by someone saying “walla” instead of voilà. Holy effing hell, that is just 100% ignorant. Stay away from the keyboard if you don’t know how to handle a non-English word!! ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/48 "2012-07-11T17:57:59Z")
> [@ASanders](#): > > And loose and lose!! I don’t get that one at all, ever. The pronunciation is different, the meaning is different, ARGH. Because simply knowing the pronunciation and meaning of “lose” does not make it clear that it is to be spelt “lose” rather than “loose”… The letter-sequence “lose” looks analogous to the letter-sequences “rose”, “chose”, “hose”, “those”, “nose”… Those aren’t pronounced like “lose”. (What _is_ pronounced like “lose”? Well, “choose”, for example…) ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/49 "2012-07-11T18:09:29Z")
**greenslime1951** , I’m pretty sure you’re me (or I). Well, maybe I don’t go into a homicidal rage at minor mistakes, but I do find it sort of annoying that “it’s” is used for “its” more than “its” itself is … even on the SDMB where people should know better. I show my disappointment, not through threats and violence, but through my sig line. ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/50 "2012-07-11T18:21:28Z")
> [@greenslime1951](#): > > Yes. I would be a real danger to the grocers who work at the grocer’s. Especially the ones who write the signs saying “WATERMELON’S $5”; I would feel insulted that they thought that I would just take the five bucks without first ascertaining if it belonged to the watermelon. Well, obviously you are in the wrong here. The apostrophe in this instance is not indicating a possessive, but rather a contraction. The sign is short for “THIS HEAR WATERMELON’S FIVE DOLLARS.” The here/hear mixup is what you should be getting worked up about. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/51 "2012-07-11T19:24:56Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Florists who offer “Bokays”. What. The. Hell. Agreed. It should be “Bokay’s.” > [@Zebra](#): > > It is what it is. That depends. 😃 > [@ASanders](#): > > My teeth were set on edge this morning by someone saying “walla” instead of voilà. Holy effing hell, that is just 100% ignorant. Stay away from the keyboard if you don’t know how to handle a non-English word!! I always spell and pronounce it “viola.” Just to see who gets it. . ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/52 "2012-07-11T19:34:13Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > I solved the problem in the OP years ago. In every circumstance use its’ and there is nothing left to whine about. I think I came up with that solution way back in the 90’s. The 90s, you mean. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/53 "2012-07-11T19:48:48Z")
They it’sy bitsy spider went “up” the water spout “Down” came the rane and warshed the spider out. Out came the son & dried up all the reign Sew the it’sy bitsy spider went up the spout “again”. ---
**Author:** ![greenslime1951](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@greenslime1951](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenslime1951)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/54 "2012-07-11T22:58:39Z")
> [@spinky](#): > > Well, obviously you are in the wrong here. The apostrophe in this instance is not indicating a possessive, but rather a contraction. The sign is short for “THIS HEAR WATERMELON’S FIVE DOLLARS.” The here/hear mixup is what you should be getting worked up about. That would only be true if the sign bore an arrow pointing at a specific watermelon. Parenthetically, “Specific Watermelon” would be a great name for a rock band. ---
**Author:** ![greenslime1951](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@greenslime1951](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenslime1951)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/55 "2012-07-11T23:07:32Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Why so angry, OP? It’s an arbitrary orthographic convention settled on capriciously years ago; we could just as well have been writing “it’s” for both situations, or have never written possessives with apostrophes in any case, or myriad other such things, except that we aren’t. It’s perfectly understandable that people slip up from time to time English–or any other language for that matter–is full of rules and constructions that do seem arbitrary. So what? Is that any excuse for not following those rules? We drive on the right-hand side of the road, or the left, and the choice would seem to be arbitrary, but _once the choice is made_, we must conform or chaos results. The pronunciations of “cough” and “tough,” for instance, are arbitrarily different, but common usage has dictated what they should be. In many cases, the rules do serve to draw distinctions. In terms of spelling, both “arbitrary” convention and the languages from which words were derived dictated the forms currently in use. My point is that we have to do things consistently for the sake of understanding. The apostrophe may be unnecessary, strictly speaking, but as it stands, it conveys meaning. To misuse the apostrophe is to distort meaning. I think it’s understandable, perhaps, but not forgivable given that compulsory and free education is given to all citizens, and you’re supposed to learn what an apostrophe is for by second grade. Edit: And my anger is that people who can’t read and write (because they never bothered to learn how) _reproduce_ and _vote_. Thus, morons help to determine my destiny. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/56 "2012-07-11T23:08:32Z")
You are wearing _clothes_ You dust your furniture with _cloths_ If you are wearing cloths, I feel sorry for your wardrobe. ---
**Author:** ![greenslime1951](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@greenslime1951](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenslime1951)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/57 "2012-07-11T23:10:35Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > The 90s, you mean. God, I can’t believe I let him get away with that. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/58 "2012-07-11T23:23:55Z")
> [@greenslime1951](#): > > English–or any other language for that matter–is full of rules and constructions that do seem arbitrary. So what? Is that any excuse for not following those rules? We drive on the right-hand side of the road, or the left, and the choice would seem to be arbitrary, but _once the choice is made_, we must conform or chaos results. When you drive on the wrong side of the road, people get injured and even killed. Thus, anger at people flouting driving conventions is quite understandable. What exactly is the chaos which apostrophe bumbling has caused? I’m not saying you aren’t correct that such bumblers have messed up their adherence to convention; I’m asking why you’re so _angry_ about it. > [@](#): > > Edit: And my anger is that people who can’t read and write (because they never bothered to learn how) _reproduce_ and _vote_. Thus, morons help to determine my destiny. So what if apostrophe bumblers (who can read and write pretty damn well, compared to people who, you know, can’t read and write) reproduce and vote? In what way is knowledge of apostrophe convention vital to reproduction and voting? I guarantee you there are things I care about which you never bothered to learn and would consider quite piffling. I’m not angry at you about it. I certainly don’t mind if you reproduce without getting around to patching it up. Your value as a human being is not predicated on it. Of course, you are being hyperbolic. But I don’t know why linguistic peeves should so frequently attract this particular style of violent, disgusted hyperbole. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/59 "2012-07-11T23:30:41Z")
> [@Noelq](#): > > You are wearing _clothes_ > > You dust your furniture with _cloths_ > > If you are wearing cloths, I feel sorry for your wardrobe. I have to admit I have a hard time ‘breath / breathe’. I can never remember which is pronounced which way. I know there’s at least one other verb / noun pair that I always confuse, but I can’t think of it now. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871/60 "2012-07-11T23:33:40Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > **greenslime1951** , I’m pretty sure you’re me (or I). Well, maybe I don’t go into a homicidal rage at minor mistakes, but I do find it sort of annoying that “it’s” is used for “its” more than “its” itself is … even on the SDMB where people should know better. I show my disappointment, not through threats and violence, but through my sig line. That is a pretty clever sig line. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-swiftly-herewith-consign-to-the-pit-the-ignorant-clowns-who-misconstrue-its/627871.md?page=4)