# I'm fat according to you so, what? You hate me?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-fat-according-to-you-so-what-you-hate-me/2793>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [November 6, 1999, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-fat-according-to-you-so-what-you-hate-me/2793 "1999-11-06T09:16:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 14

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**Author:** ![NITWATCH2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@NITWATCH2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NITWATCH2)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 1999, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-fat-according-to-you-so-what-you-hate-me/2793/261 "1999-11-13T01:00:00Z")

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yosemitebabe

I gotta differ with you. Bigotry, plural, is ‘bigotry’s’ according to MY AOL spell checking program, when I use it.

## You sent: The anal-retentive part of me just has to point out - it’s “bigotries” not “bigotry’s”. That pesky apostrophe has a purpose - but it is not used to pluralize a word. (I hasten to add that my spelling and grammar are less than flawless, but the inappropriate use of apostrophes bugs the hell outta me!) So, I guess I am an apostrophe bigot. I can deal with that.

Actually, from what you trying to prove in this post, I reckon it makes you a smart-ass, by taking pleasure in trying to make someone else look bad.

In answer to the other smart-ass question, yeah, I know MarkSerlin. Just like some of you know each other on this board. Sorry, but I don’t know AnitaJ. You got some sort of a problem with that?

* * *

The Night Watch always knows things.

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**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 1999, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-fat-according-to-you-so-what-you-hate-me/2793/262 "1999-11-13T01:33:00Z")

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OOh! AOL spell check, eh? I’m impressed. (Sorry, sometimes I get SO sarcastic!)

The apostrophe is used for a few things. One is to indicate that some letters have been taken out of a word, or phrase. Like “Let us” becomes “let’s” - “It is” becomes “It’s” “That is” becomes “That’s”. See the pattern?

The other use for apostrophes is possesive - “The cat’s paws held the ball.” “That is David’s cat” “This is my car’s tire.” It implies ownership of some kind, and the possesive word often is followed by the thing it possesses. (For instance, “tire” belongs to the “car”, and so on.)

When you make a word into a plural, there is no apostrophe. More than one cat - cats. More than one car - cars. More than one David - Davids. (That’s an odd example, I know!)

Mark’s use of “bigotries” was a _plural._ More than _one_ bigotry. He spelled it “bigotry’s”, but the bigotry did not OWN anything. If it did, what did it own? If the sentence had been something like “In bigotry’s name I renounce thee!” then yeah, the “bigotry” owns something - “name”. Nothing like that in Mark’s post.

Just because something is spelled right doesn’t mean it is being used properly in a sentence. Spell check can only do so much. The words “too” “two” “to” all sound the same, but are they the same word? Can they be used interchangeably? Same with “bigory’s” and “bigotries”.

I am no English expert - really. But I plead apostrophe bigotry. One of my bigotries is regarding apostrophes. Get it now? 😉  
Sheesh - back on topic now…

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**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 1999, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-fat-according-to-you-so-what-you-hate-me/2793/263 "1999-11-13T01:41:00Z")

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Oops! Already noticed a spelling error of my own. “Possesive” should be “possessive”. I knew that word looked wrong! (Yes, anal-retentive, with a hyphen!)

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**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 1999, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-fat-according-to-you-so-what-you-hate-me/2793/264 "1999-11-13T02:04:00Z")

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{{Whaddya think, Lynn? Time for lockdown?}}

Yeah, I think six pages is long enough for any thread. If anyone wants to start up another one, go ahead. Just put the address to this thread in your starting post.

And in response to one of Mark’s comments, [sarcasm]OF COURSE I’m a stooge.[/sarcasm] Seriously, I would THINK that people would be able to see the “Administrator” title under my name. And maybe even notice who moderates this particular forum. Those who were on the old AOL SDMB know that I was a moderator on that board, too. I’m not a one-post wonder.

I’d make a really nasty comment here, but since I’m closing the thread, I’ll refrain.

Lynn/SDStaff Lynn  
Administrator for the Straight Dope

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 1999, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-fat-according-to-you-so-what-you-hate-me/2793/265 "1999-11-13T02:21:00Z")

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Jesus H. Christ in a Bulimia Clinic!

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**Author:** ![Byzantine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@Byzantine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Byzantine)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 1999, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-fat-according-to-you-so-what-you-hate-me/2793/266 "1999-11-13T02:48:00Z")

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Lynn:

Please close this thread. It’s not a discussion it’s turned into a mud fight. And it’s not very funny. I know it’s the pit but usually people take a stab at being rational. This has degenerated into nothing but name calling.

I know I started it. But now I’d like to stop it.

Thank you,  
Byzantine

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