# If your not gonna spell properly, then stick it up you're ass. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 3, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385 "2004-03-03T21:01:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/1 "2004-03-03T21:01:39Z")
**AAAAAAARGH!** Stop it! Stop mixing up your and you’re. Just stop it! You’re driving me nuts! I can’t take it anymore. The next time I see it, I’ll…why I’ll…I don’t know what I’ll do, that’s what. O.K., that’s all I got… first one to point out the irony of that last sentence being grammatically incorrect gets a lovely parting gift - The “BBQ Pit” home-game ---
**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:** [March 3, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/2 "2004-03-03T21:18:49Z")
What should you do? Be prepared to see its and it’s thrown into the blender too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/3 "2004-03-03T21:24:57Z")
Agreed - their is nothing worse than people who can’t keep there tenses straight. So they’re. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/4 "2004-03-03T21:41:51Z")
I believe you have used too many "A"s in “ **AAAAAAARGH!** ”. N.Y. Times version: I believe you have used too many A’s in “ **AAAAAAARGH!** ”. Ecch. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/5 "2004-03-03T21:50:02Z")
> [@](#): > > first one to point out the irony of that last sentence being grammatically incorrect gets a lovely parting gift - The “BBQ Pit” home-game Actually, it wasn’t grammatically incorrect. It just didn’t mean what you intended. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/6 "2004-03-03T21:57:07Z")
> [@](#): > > N.Y. Times version: I believe you have used too many A’s in “AAAAAAARGH!”. Actually, that would be, "I believe you have used too many As in “AAAAAAARGH!” The apostrophe indicates possessive, which “A” isn’t. Say it with me, everybody: Apostrophe means possessive. Simply adding an “s” means plural. The only time the opposite is true is when using it’s and its, in which case the apostrophe indicates a contraction, “it is” and “its” is possessive (and plural but rarely used that way). I toss this, my favorite grammar pet peeve, into grammar threads every now and then. Not that it helps. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/7 "2004-03-03T22:06:08Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > Actually, that would be, "I believe you have used too many As in “AAAAAAARGH!” > > The apostrophe indicates possessive, which “A” isn’t. > > Say it with me, everybody: > > Apostrophe means possessive. > Simply adding an “s” means plural. > > The only time the opposite is true is when using it’s and its, in which case the apostrophe indicates a contraction, “it is” and “its” is possessive (and plural but rarely used that way). > > I toss this, my favorite grammar pet peeve, into grammar threads every now and then. Not that it helps. Now I expect a definitive review on the use of quotes for the purpose of emphasis. Any less would be shortchanging the children. “Not that it helps.” Is this a proper sentence, Mr. Language-Person? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/8 "2004-03-03T22:06:17Z")
This thread was **definately** necessary in order to air our pet peeves. Gaaaaaaaa! Just knock it off! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/9 "2004-03-03T22:10:04Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > Simply adding an “s” means plural… Did we forget “theirs”, “ours”, “hers” and “yours”? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/10 "2004-03-03T22:12:54Z")
You left out two (or too or to): “yer” as in “yer crazy as a shithouse rat” and “yo”, as in “yo’ momma”. Oops, forgot one: “ye’re” Pirate captain: “Ye’re not be bringin’ that shithouse rat up on me poop deck, matey!” Cabin boy: “Yo’ momma.” ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/11 "2004-03-03T22:34:48Z")
How about the morons spelling ridiculous “rediculous”? Or people who spell rogue “rouge?” God, I hate them. Any typos in this post were placed there purely for the purposes of irony. I meant to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/12 "2004-03-04T00:37:28Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > Actually, that would be, "I believe you have used too many As in “AAAAAAARGH!” > > The apostrophe indicates possessive, which “A” isn’t. > > Say it with me, everybody: > > Apostrophe means possessive. > Simply adding an “s” means plural. Say it with me, now. [Adding an apostrophe](http://www1.umn.edu/urelate/style/spelling.html) to make a letter plural is an acceptable (though no longer required) convention. There are those who would argue that this particular example, where “As” is also a word unto itself, is exactly where an apostrophe serves a purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/13 "2004-03-04T02:40:17Z")
Don’t get me started on how to use “lie” and “lay” BTW, what is currently considered the best English grammar/usage text? ---
**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:** [March 4, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/14 "2004-03-04T03:28:46Z")
And while we’re at it, “disinterested” does NOT mean “uninterested”! It’s the difference between having no interest (being impartial) and having no interest (not caring). As Mark Twain put it, the difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug. ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/15 "2004-03-04T03:47:31Z")
Wait a minute, your saying **your** is not spelled right? My Father In Law was a gonna in the Marines. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/16 "2004-03-04T03:52:52Z")
This thread will have no affect. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/17 "2004-03-04T04:58:03Z")
OK, all together now: "If you want it to be posessive, it’s just I-T-S! But if you want it to be a contraction, it’s I-T-apostrophe-S!! Scalawag!" ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/18 "2004-03-04T07:49:36Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > What should you do? Be prepared to see its and it’s thrown into the blender too. 😉 Actually, the it’s/its mistake doesn’t bother me _quite_ as much, because at least there is a reason (however lame it may be) why one could mix them up. Putting an apostrophe and an “s” at the end of a word _is_ normally how the possessive is formed, and pronouns are an exception. So when someone uses “it’s” instead of “its”, they’re at least doing something that has a remote connection to a valid rule of grammar. But in the case of “your” being used instead of “you’re”, not even by the most twisted logic could one ever think that “your” could substitute for “you are”, or that “you’re” looks anything like a possessive form. In a sense, the it’s/its rule is somewhat arbitrary, but the you’re/your rule is merely common sense. If you just think about it for one second, there’s no way you could mix them up. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/19 "2004-03-04T07:56:10Z")
> [@furt](#): > > This thread will have no affect. I declare the contrary to be true. This thread is terribly _affected_. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2004, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385/20 "2004-03-04T11:29:22Z")
Unlike in the days or yore your “your”, “you’re”, “yore”, and “yaw” yaw like you’re illiterate. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-your-not-gonna-spell-properly-then-stick-it-up-youre-ass/232385.md?page=2)